SIDE STREETS: Man's best friend, or a pit bull in a china shop?

Achilles the pit bull is free after seven months in dog jail, reunited with his pit bull pal, Asia, in the backyard of Danny and Susan Polston on Nokomis Circle, an unincorporated area on Colorado Springs' east edge.

Achilles is a little too free for neighbor Diane Elmore, whose mixed-breed dog, Moonbear, was mauled by the pit bull in October, prompting his arrest by the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.

Elmore said Achilles was loose inside the Polstons' fenced yard Thursday - just hours after its release - despite court orders it be on a leash or confined inside an escape-proof kennel whenever it's outside.

"The dog was out in the yard by itself," Elmore said. "They did not have the dog on a leash. When they saw me, they were calling Achilles back in the house. We heard it scrambling on the rocks on the other side of the fence."

Danny Polston denied Achilles was loose, called it "a misunderstanding" and warned Elmore to back off.

"(Elmore) is going up the wrong avenue," Polston said. "She better take care of her own business. She's starting to cause problems and heartache for my family. That's not a good thing."

Grrrrrrr.

Polston agreed to restrict Achilles as part of a plea agreement he signed May 21 to avoid trial on the charge of keeping a dangerous dog.

He also agreed to pay Elmore $500 in restitution - $313 for Moonbear's veterinary bills and the rest for damage Achilles did to her landscaping after it launched itself over two fences, about four-feet tall and latched on to Moonbear's neck and ears.

"It was blown out of proportion," Polston said.

That attitude angers Elmore, who said her 16-year-old son had to kick Achilles to get it off Moonbear and then held it off, screaming, until he could get Moonbear safely into their home.

The attack followed months of aggressive behavior by Achilles and Asia toward Moonbear and the entire Elmore family since the Polstons moved in to their rental house last August, Elmore said.

"I can't figure out why they would do this," Elmore said. "I thought going to court, they would realize the seriousness of this."

Elmore fears Achilles can still get out of the yard, even with its new 6-foot-tall wooden fence.

"A six-foot fence alone doesn't meet the standard for safety for a pit bull," Elmore said, citing Humane Society regulations.

Polston said her fears are unfounded. Achilles and Asia are gentle dogs he completely trusts around his 8-year-old son and his young playmates.

He promised to abide by the plea agreement and suggested Elmore leave his family alone.

"I'm at peace," he said. "We abide by the rules. We sit over here and drink beer, have a good time. We don't talk to those people. If those people want to live in fear, that's up to them. We'll take care of our business."

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See photos on my blog at gazette.com/blogs/sidestreets