Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Man arrested after dogs attack elderly woman

ALABAMA -- A brutal dog attack happened in Marshall County on Sunday.

A Eunice Hyatt is now in the hospital after an attack at her home.

Some of the pictures of her injuries are graphic.

Neighbors had complained about the dogs before, and they say the dogs are vicious and have been terrorizing neighbors for the last year.

Arab Police responded to Hyatt's home around 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon following a 911 call she had been attacked by dogs.

"Her niece was visiting and as her niece was going to the car, she went out with her and attacked her in her carport," said neighbor Dewalt Willis.

Willis said this isn't the first time the neighbor's dogs have threatened others. He says it's been going on for a year and other neighbors have felt like prisoners because of it.

"Wouldn't let them out of the car... Wouldn't let them on the porch every time they came home," Willis said.

He said he's even had to deal with the dogs as well.

"One got close enough to growl one day, and I shot above his head and ran him off. They're not going to attack my family," he said.

Animal Control Officer Kevin Hooks said the dogs are now in quarantine for the next several days.
Warrants have been issued for Dean Sloan, the owner of the dogs that were quarantined. The warrant is for dogs at large.

The owner said it is unclear if the dogs were his, animal control officer Kevin Hooks said the video from an Arab Police Cruiser indicated that they are.

Sloan said someone keeps opening the gate of his fence while he is away, he thinks it is a neighbor. Sloan said he's attempted to make contact with Eunice to apologize.

Richard Sloan was arrested Wednesday on charges of allowing dogs to run at large. He was released on a one thousand dollar bond.

Also on Wednesday, a civil suit was filed by Hyatt against Sloan seeking unspecified damages.

(WAFF - Oct 24, 2011)