Police are still investigating the death of a 12-year-old family pet attacked by two pit bulls Monday in East Lawrence, city officials said Thursday.

Meanwhile, the director of the Lawrence Human Society said sheâÂÂd been receiving phone calls from people who thought the city should put more teeth into its laws regarding dangerous dogs — especially pit bulls — that get loose and injure other pets or people.

âÂÂIâÂÂve had 15 to 20 phone calls regarding pit bulls and this story,â said Midge Grinstead, executive director of the Humane Society. âÂÂMost are in favor of making the ordinance stronger against pit bulls. âÂÂ: To me, (pit bulls) are genetically prone to being aggressive.âÂÂ

Grinstead said she would like to see the city re-examine the dangerous dog ordinance.

âÂÂI think we have a good law. I think we need to find a way to enforce it,â she said.

Sgt. Doug Bell of the Lawrence Police DepartmentâÂÂs animal control division said no citations had been issued against the dogsâ owners. He declined to identify the owners because charges were still pending.

Bell said he still was collecting information for his reports from witnesses and the veterinarian who treated the family dog that was killed in the attack.

The two pit bulls got loose Monday morning from their home in the 1600 block of Cadet Avenue, traveled east across Memorial Park Cemetery and jumped the fence into the back yard of Rebecca Goodin, 1615 Harper St.

The pit bulls began fighting with Lancelot, a brown Labrador that was tied to his dog house. Neighbors chased the pit bulls from the yard, but the 12-year-old Lab was badly mauled. He died three hours later at a veterinary hospital.

Chief City Prosecutor Jerry Little said he gave the OK for animal control officers to pick up the two dogs from their ownerâÂÂs home.

âÂÂI donâÂÂt want those dogs remaining at large,â Little said.

Little declined to comment on the incident while the investigation continues. However, he said that a conviction under the dangerous dog ordinance could bring a penalty of up to six months in jail and/or a fine of as much as $1,000. The municipal judge also could order the dogs be penned up, or have a microchip implanted in them and have them registered as dangerous dogs.

The judge also has the option to order the dogs euthanized, Little said.

The two pit bulls are being held at the cityâÂÂs animal shelter, where theyâÂÂre being cared for by the Humane Society at a cost of $10 per day, plus the cost of medical care, Grinstead said.

She said the dogs had not been aggressive at the shelter.

âÂÂIt can become very expensive,â she said. âÂÂThese guys have every parasite known to man, so we had to treat that.âÂÂ

Grinstead said she was frustrated that the cityâÂÂs dangerous dog ordinance did not allow officers to file charges until a loose, aggressive dog actually bit a person or a domestic animal.

She said the two pit bulls had other incidents of being aggressive before MondayâÂÂs mauling.

Also frustrating for Grinstead is how long it takes the court to act on such matters. Past experience has shown her âÂÂit could take as long as a year,â she said.

Little said the ordinance called for a hearing to be conducted in municipal court within two weeks of the owner having been notified of the charges.

âÂÂItâÂÂs treated like any other court case,â he said. âÂÂItâÂÂs a slow process.âÂÂ