Mitchell Neighbors Terrorized by Loose Dogs

0:00It's March 30th. This is Birmingham News today, local news powered by AI. Folks in the Mitchell community near Nakalula Falls and Gatsden, Alabama, are on edge from a pack of loose dogs terrorizing the neighborhood. These strays have killed neighborhood cats and small dogs, charged at people and even grow out at kids playing outside. Residents say the attacks have turned their yards into no-go zones. The problems have been brewing for years, but it's gotten way bolder lately. Dogs are now barging onto private property, like one incident where they dragged the mother cat from her crate in a car port and mulled her, leaving her. With five tiny kittens behind, this resident has lost multiple pets over time, including others that crawl to her yard dying. People like Rachel Farley, who's lived there 21 years, feel trapped in their own homes. They worry about heading out early for work or letting kids play. The fear's real, no one feels safe enjoying the outdoors anymore. People controls on it, confirming the dogs belong to an owner who's been sighted before,

1:03with a warrant out for skipping court. They've trapped a few over the past year, including one last week, but the pack scatters when approached, so traps in wooded spots are the main play. With just five staff handling 30 calls a day, it's aggrined. Officials urge everyone to keep calling in reports or dial 911 for emergencies. They check messages daily and stress owners must pin up, or, fence their dogs, until accountability hits and the packs contained, that neighborhood tension stays high, but actions building towards safer streets.