Neighbors near scene of El Paso dog attack say loose dogs aren’t uncommon

It was just about two weeks ago that Sayaka Yamashita was attacked by a pack of four dogs in far east El Paso on June 5.

A newly released court affidavit says Yamashita “reported that she let her canine out to her fenced yard” when the pack attacked. The document says Yamashita was taken to Del Sol Medical where she was treated for cuts on her upper and lower extremities. Representatives from the hospital have not been able to locate any recording confirming Yamashita as a patient.

Yamashita’s next door neighbor said she has since been released from the hospital. Representatives from Del Sol Medical Center have not yet responded to our request for confirmation.

Luis Socorro Caudillo owned the animals. There is no fence or gate surrounding his home that might prevent an animal from wandering off, according to the address listed on the affidavit. Shelters that appear to be dog houses are situated near the front of the property.

Caudillo was charged and booked in El Paso County Detention Center for Attack by Dog/Serious Bodily Injury and was released on a $50,000 bond. He received four citations for Failure to Confine Animals and four citations for Failure to Vaccinate and Register Animals.

El Paso Animal Services did confirm they received custody of the four dogs involved in the attack on June 6, the day following the attack. Michele Anderson, the Public Affairs Coordinator for El Paso Animal Services said the decision to euthanize is made on a case by case basis. However, in a case like this, as she described as a serious and unprovoked attack, the department does not have much choice.

Neighbors in the area say the attack does not come as a surprise.

“Since we have so many children on this block, it scares me very much,” said a woman in the neighborhood who asked not to reveal her identity. “Sometimes I’m afraid to come outside because they’re hiding underneath the house or there in the yard, and we’re afraid.”

“It’s three or four dogs that get loose every once in a while and they’re just running up and down the street,” said another neighbor who also requested his identity not be revealed. “One morning I saw them trying to break into the gate where I have my female (dog). I mean it’s three dogs trying to bite her and they’re being aggressive with her. I started throwing rocks and whatever I could find close to the dogs to the point where I’m afraid myself.”

These neighbors said they have tried to report cases of loose dogs, but that they struggle to get a response from law enforcement. Some claim officers sometimes arrive several hours after their call.

“By that point, I mean the dogs are gone. Anything that happened, it’s too late,” said the man living in the neighborhood.

Those reports fall to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department. ABC-7 reached out for comment, but have not yet received a response.