The owner of a small dog that was attacked while playing at a West Hollywood dog park is speaking out about the horrific experience as she advocates for stricter rules in dog play areas across LA.
Molly Torrence was at the small-dog section of the West Hollywood dog park on March 22 with her small pomeranian, Stony, when the animal was suddenly and horrifically mauled by a bigger dog.
“It’s probably the most traumatic thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Torrence told The California Post. “They were just having fun, playing fetch. I was watching Stony closely… The dog just lunged at her, picked her up in its mouth, and shook her.”
She says the attack happened shortly after large dogs entered the park’s designated small-dog zone, where signs clearly cap dogs at 30 pounds.
“The West Hollywood dog park is really nice and clean, but what I guess happens is they clean the large dog park at 11 a.m.,” Torrence said. “And then a lot of the large dogs flood over into the small dog park.”
“The attack was horrifying and unprovoked,” Torrence writes in the petition. “Stony was picked up, shaken, and nearly killed.”
“It was so f–ked up,” she told The Post. “She was bleeding, and everyone in the park was like, ‘oh my god.’”
“All he said to me was ‘is she ok’ and he packed up and left.”
Stony miraculously survived — but not without serious injuries, including a fractured rib, a bruised lung and multiple puncture wounds.
“Stony is doing okay — she’s next to me right now,” Torrence said. “She’s still recovering and has some stitches that come out in a week.”
She’s now pushing for stricter enforcement of weight limits and tighter oversight in areas meant for smaller dogs.
Dubbed, ‘Stony’s Law,’ her proposal calls for stricter monitoring, fines for violators and more visible signage to warn owners.
Supporters say the changes are long overdue — and could prevent another near-tragedy.
“It’s strange how these things happen. The first week was full of grief. I’ve been at the vet six times in the past two weeks. All I cared about was her living,” Torrence said. “Now that she’s okay, I’m angry.”
She says the sheriff’s office encouraged her to put up flyers to find the owner of the dog that attacked Stony. Torrence is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the owner and legitimate contact details. She also assured that any information shared will be kept confidential.
“Every day after work, I was putting up flyers around the neighborhood. About a week later, I realized that if I didn’t find this guy, something good had to come out of this.”
“Implementing ‘Stony’s Law’ will not only protect our pets but also create a harmonious and safe environment for all dog owners to enjoy the parks without fear,” the petition states.
The petition has racked up more than 400 signatures and Torrence hopes her efforts will motivate West Hollywood City Council to seriously consider ‘Stony’s Law’.
“The petition has taken off on its own. I started asking people to share it, hoping that if I get to a certain number, I can bring it to city council and make something happen,” Torrence said.
“If this protects you know, any number of dogs from getting attacked in the future it was meant to be and for good.”
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