Editor:

Mayor Kevin Romick may think Crockett Park is a family park, but like it is now, it is unsafe.

On Saturday, Sept. 1, while walking my two small dogs in the park, I was attacked by two unleashed pit bulls. All three entrances to the park have posted rules that state all dogs must be leashed and remain leashed while in the park. My dogs were leashed; the pit bulls were not.

During the attack, I was knocked over, and one of my dogs fled for her life with one of the pit bulls chasing her. The owner could only say “they’re friendly” when I told him to get his dogs on leashes. This while his other dog was jumping up on me, trying to get my other dog.

I was terrified and turned to run, only to be knocked to the ground. By this time, the owner of the pit bulls had the pit bull that was jumping on me under control. His response to my terror was “chill, old man.” I ran after my dog that was being chased by his other pit bull and found that she had eluded him by crawling through a small hole in the fence and running down the street.

I told the man I was going to call the police as soon as I saw to the safety of my dogs. I found my small dog hiding on my front porch, put both dogs in the house and returned to the park only to find the man had taken his pit bulls and left the park.

As long as we have dog owners like this man using Crockett Park, small dogs and children are not safe. I did see the man approach another woman who had children and a small dog on a leash with his dogs as I was leaving the park. Her reaction was the same as mine. “Don’t bring those dogs over here.”

If we have rules and regulations, then they must be upheld. This man has done this before. I know of one other occasion when a small dog was ravaged by two larger dogs and the pet parents ended up paying some extremely high vet bills. It is possible that these were the same two dogs.

Please do something about this safety problem at Crockett Park before some child gets hurt.

William E. Lillis, Oakley