For six months, Pamela Woo of Arlington has been dealing with the aftermath of a scuffle between her dog (Rubi) and her neighbor's dog (Abby).

In March, Ruby – "a mutt," according to Woo, but a "Pit Bull" according to Selectman Diane Mahon - was off-leash at Summer Street Field when she got into a scuffle with Abby, a Chocolate Lab belonging to Jennifer Healy, a neighbor of Woo's. During the scuffle, Abby's ear was torn and required stitches.

According to Woo, she paid the full $500 vet bill, but the matter still ended up in a hearing on June 15. Last night, in Town Hall, the selectmen went over the hearing to make a decision as to whether they should remove the dog from Arlington.

After the hearing, Arlington Police Captain Robert Bongiorno suggested that the dog could stay in Arlington as long as Woo met four stipulations:

• Rubi shall wear her "zap" collar and be subject to control with the electronic device whenever she is outside Ms. Woo's property.
• Outside Ms. Woo's property, Rubi shall be muzzled at all times that anyone other than Ms. Woo has control of her.
• Rubi shall be leashed (six-inch leash or shorter) at all times that she is outside Ms. Woo's property. This provision shall remain in place even if Town Bylaws are amended to allow dogs to be off-leash on public property within the town of Arlington.
• Failure to abide by these provisions will lead to the filing of a new petition and subsequent re-examination of whether Rubi may safely remain in Arlington.                                                                       

"Since the March 24 incident, Ms. Woo has acted conscientiously by apologizing, paying Abby's vet bills, having Rubi (who is described in the report as a "tan four-year-old spayed female Mixed American Bull Terrier, approximately 25-30 pounds") evaluated, refreshing Rubi's training, keeping Rubi out of Magnolia Park, keeping her leashed, and completing fencing of the yard," Bongiorno said in his report.

"Rubi clearly has aggression issues, but they are targeted to particular dogs. To date, she has not posed a risk to adults, children, or most dogs," he stated.

Last night, selectman voted 4-1 to allow Rubi to stay in Arlington if Woo adheres to Bongiorno's rules.

Jack Hurd, who supported the findings told Woo: "It seems like if your dog were never off leash, this probably never would have happened at all."

Dogs have been a major issue in Arlington for years and the controversy has reached a fever pitch in recent months when Town Meeting approved off-leash hours in Arlington Parks starting this fall, something that has not been legal up until now.

Last night, Woo left selectmen very angry, especially after Selectman Diane Mahon called her dog a "Pit Bull."

"Nowhere in all the reports did it call Rubi a 'Pit Bull,'" Woo said. "There is obviously just some breed prejudice going on here."

Since the incident, Woo has taken her dog to more training, and pointed out last night that in 2008, her dog was certified as a "Canine Good Citizen" through the American Kennel Club, a program tests for a dog's listening and behavior skills.

Additionally, Woo pointed out, her dog has worked with elderly people in the nursing homes she frequents as a visitor and has "never bitten a person. If she were aggressive toward people, I would put her down myself," Woo said.

Daniel Monteiro, who also lives with Ruby in the two-family in Arlington along with Woo, her sister, brother-in-law and 18-month-old niece, said Rubi "looks like Hannibal Lector walking down the street" with her muzzle and "zap" collar.

The Board of Selectmen agreed last night to revisit the muzzling issue in three months, but Woo was left feeling sour about the whole thing.

"People have an irrational fear of Pit Bulls," Woo said of Rubi, whom she pointed out is not even a "proven Pit Bull. I would have to do genetic testing to know for sure."

"If my dog were a beautiful, friendly Chocolate lab, we would not even be here today," Woo said.