OHIO -- Few options were left for Champaign County Dog Warden Matt Larmee when he shot and killed a dog, one of three attacking people at and near Urbana University on Tuesday. The animals had chased several people into campus buildings during the melee.
A man walking with his wife and daughter was bitten and required medical treatment at the Mercy Memorial Hospital emergency room. The injury was not serious, but the man received injections regarding potential problems from a dog bite.
A report filed by Larmee was made available to the Daily Citizen on Wednesday detailing the incident. Also, a local woman whose dog was being attacked spoke of the incident.
At 8:29 a.m., Larmee was dispatched to the area of College Way and South Russell Street regarding three dogs running at large. Upon arrival, John Anglea, 66, Enon, said a brindle boxer dog had bitten him on the right calf. The dogs had fled west on College Way.
Larmee reports he followed the dogs to the campus, discovering they had chased people into buildings. He attempted to corner the boxer on the south end of the baseball field and it charged him and began biting his control pole. The report states he put down the dog with his duty pistol.
(On Tuesday, the Daily Citizen erroneously reported Assistant Dog Warden Mike Terry had shot the dog. The information mistakenly was attributed to the Urbana Police Division.)
Larmee reported he contained the other two dogs and confined them in his vehicle. They were taken to the county shelter. Anglea identified the boxer as the one that had bitten him, and the dog was taken to the county Health District for rabies testing.
The dogs had no collars and Larmee said there are no owners or suspects.
Debra Copeland, 417 College Way, was walking her dog near her home with her parents, John and Marge Anglea, when she noticed the three agitated dogs. In a moment, they attacked, she said.
Her parents faced off with the dogs as Copeland was attempting to return home with her dog. During the initial fracas, her father was bitten.
An unknown driver was flagged down by Copeland, who asked him to call 911. As the dogs approached, she entered the back seat of the SUV with her dog for protection. Two Columbia Gas employees working nearby used shovels to keep the dogs at bay and protect the Angleas.
Copeland said the dogs then focused their attention on the workers and grew angrier. About that time, Larmee and Urbana police arrived. The dogs soon fled onto university property.
Copeland said she returned home with her parents and soon heard the gunshot that was reported to emergency officials at 8:47 a.m.
(Urbana Daily Citizen - August 10, 2011)
