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I just realized that the police shot the pit bull less than a block from my house. No body at my house was home that day, but we had realized the dog was gone and we had wondered what happened to it. We obviously don't read the KNS as closely as we could have. One of us did see two men in short-sleeved white shirts talking to a person who was apparently Smith sometime that week.

From what I know, which is observation from semi-close, the police were probably within their rights to shoot the poor thing.

Yes, the poor thing. They moved in last fall, I believe. I know it was at least late summer. The dog was chained to a tree. He had an igloo hut, but it was turned over more than it was upright. He had water, and I suppose was feed regularly. But he barked and lunged at everything that pretended to walk near the back yard. A friend with a big lab mix had rerouted their regular walk because the pit was so loud and mean. I never saw anyone pet him or play with him or give him any positive attention. They yelled at him to be quiet. The chain had worn the grass off the back yard. The yard is not fenced.

I had called the city at one point, and was told that so long as the dog had water and was contained within the property that they really couldn't do anything. I feel bad that I didn't do more. He was just pitiful. I've known well-cared for pits and rotweillers who were good pets. This poor thing never had a chance to be good.

I never saw a second dog outside, until the last week or so. This one appears to be younger and healthier. But we'd already been wondering how long that would last. I was on campus when I checked in on the KNS website this afternoon, and on a fluke read the story. When I came home, I couldn't tell if the new dog was still there.

We've often wondered just who lived there because of all the cars and people coming and going. This is a very unsettling way to find out.