Northglenn – A day after his 3-year- old grandson was attacked by one of his Rottweilers, Richard Portugal said the city is trying to tear his family apart by killing both dogs.
Police and animal control officers arrived at Portugal’s home Thursday afternoon with a court order to take possession of his second dog, a 4-year-old Rottweiler named Haley.
On Wednesday, Portugal’s 135-pound Rottweiler, Zeus, bit and thrashed his grandson, Carlos Aragon, before Portugal and his wife wrested the boy from the dog’s grip.
The child was rushed to Children’s Hospital. His condition is now listed as fair, and he was released from the intensive care unit Thursday afternoon.
The boy, who lives with his grandparents, required five stitches above his right eye and several stitches to his chest and had bumps and bruises, his family said.
Moments after hearing from his son that the boy’s condition had improved, Portugal expressed relief before a half-dozen police officers came to his front door again – this time for his other dog.
The court order handed to the Portugals states that both dogs are suspected of attacking the boy, even though Portugal says it was only Zeus that was involved.
“Obviously, my primary concern is my grandson, but what happened was an unfortunate accident and the dog never intended to hurt Carlos,” Portugal said.
“That dog is a friendly dog, and he wasn’t intending to kill Carlos. But he’s a big dog, and anything under 3 feet tall to him is like a toy to him.”
Animal-control officers had responded Wednesday morning to the Portugal residence in the 10400 block of Clarkson Street, where the boy’s grandmother, Tammy Portugal, had said she found the boy in the grip of one of the two Rottweilers.
Tammy Portugal said she and her husband pulled the dog off the boy. She disputes the police report that she had to hit the dog numerous times with a kitchen chair before it let go of Carlos.
Zeus was taken into custody and taken to the city’s pound, police Sgt. Steve Garrow said.
“At this point in time, it’s not decided what will become of the dog,” Garrow said. “We have a vicious-animal law that states that any animal that bites either another animal or human, or repeatedly attacks or goes to the end of its lead and attacks, that the animal can be considered as vicious.”
Penalties for having vicious animals can include up to $199 in fines and up to 90 days in jail, in addition to the dog’s euthanization, police said.
The incident is being investigated to determine whether Tammy Portugal, who owns the dogs with her husband, will face charges, Garrow said.
But Richard Portugal says his dogs are not a threat to anyone and that the boy simply startled Zeus when he pushed open a door and rushed toward the dog.
“I’m really hurt about what happened to my grandson, but these dogs are not the killers the police are making them out to be,” Portugal said. “I don’t raise my dogs to be vicious. That dog has been raised around elderly people and has never gone after anyone. And the dogs are never left unattended around Carlos – there’s no abuse or neglect here, so why are police doing this?”
Indeed, 91-year-old neighbor Imogene Kelley said she has encountered both of Portugal’s dogs on numerous occasions and has never felt threatened, despite their hulking size.
“They’re like playful puppies, with their tails always wagging,” Kelley said. “I think the dog just got startled and didn’t know how to react. Accidents can happen around pets, you know.”
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-954-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
