MAINE -- A Boston Avenue woman was charged with keeping dangerous dogs on Friday, two days after her huskies mauled and killed a dachshund on nearby Malo Street.
Police said a 9-year-old girl was walking the dachshund Wednesday afternoon when it was attacked by the bigger dogs, which were also being walked in that neighborhood.
Police said the owner of the huskies, 42-year-old Christine Duplacey, was unable to pull her dogs away in time to thwart the [attack].
By the time the [attack] was over, the dachshund had suffered fatal injuries. The mother of the girl walking the dachshund suffered bites from her own dog after trying to break up the [deadly attack]. Police said Duplacey had blood on her hands but did not appear to have been bitten.
Police who went to the scene called for help from Animal Control Officer Wendell Strout. Duplacey was charged the day of the attack with keeping unlicensed and unvaccinated dogs. Information about the attack was sent to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
Following a decision from that office, police on Friday charged Duplacey with keeping dangerous animals. The case is scheduled for court July 21.
The attack occurred near the corner of Malo and Pearl streets, police said. All three dogs were on leashes.
Reached at home Friday night, Strout said it appears the [Huskies attacked the Dachshund] after their paths crossed on Malo Street. One Husky [was the main aggressor] and then the other joined the [attack].
"When you have even two dogs together like that, there's a bit of a pack mentality," Strout said.
While the case is pending, the huskies were placed under a temporary muzzle order, meaning they are required to be muzzled whenever they are out of the home. They were also placed under 10 days of quarantine during which they will be observed for the possibility of rabies.
(Sun Journal - June 19, 2010)
