"She was just the sweetest dog," said Marshall.
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| Big Mama was mauled to death by pit bulls |
Big Mama suffered before she was brought into the Marshall home being left tied to a pole by her previous owners. Soon after they left, Big Mama got her cord tangled around her leg and eventually chewed part of her leg off in order to get free. Marshall's heart melted and she rescued Big Mama bringing her back to health.
After many wonderful years in the Marshall home, Big Mama was killed on Tuesday, Nov. 29, allegedly the victim of an attack by two pit bulls that live up the hill from the Marshall home.
According to the Pit Bull Rescue Central, a non-profit organization that seeks to educate about the nature of pit bulls, there is no evidence to show that pit bulls attack more than other breeds.
However due to the report of the attack, the animals were picked up by the Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society the next day. According to Marshall the Sheriff's Department contacted her husband the next day and spoke with him about the incident.
Ten days later the dogs could be released without further penalties. Marshall couldn't understand why the dogs were released and the attack brings into question what exactly are the rules behind the vicious dog laws.
Marshall, who is a Dyer County resident, is subject to Dyer County's Vicious Dog Policy, which was adopted in May 2008 and is very different than the city of Dyersburg's Vicious Dog Ordinance.
The State Gazette spoke with county attorney Michael Gauldin, who explained that under Tennessee law, municipalities, such as the city of Dyersburg can do anything unless expressly prohibited by state law, while the counties cannot do anything unless they are specifically empowered by the state to do so.
This means that while the city of Dyersburg can settle violations of their city dog ordinance through criminal court, Dyer County is unable to do the same because they have not been empowered by the state to do so.
In the city reports of vicious dogs are investigated by the Dyersburg Police Department and their report along with the Humane Society investigative report is sent to the district attorney's office for prosecution. A court date is set and vicious dogs are either euthanized or in certain cases allowed to leave the county.
According to Derrick Avery, supervisor of the Humane Society, in dealing with county cases, the Humane Society is somewhat limited in what it can do if there was not a witness. The Humane Society can pick up the animal, quarantine it for 10 days under Tennessee Department of Health laws to ensure it is up to date on all its vaccinations including rabies shot, and then it has to release the animal.
"We are so effective in the city because we can get a lot done but we are not as effective in the county," said Avery. "But we are working together to be more effective."
Despite repeated attempts to confirm Marshall's side of the story with the Humane Society, Avery refused to confirm the information contained in the investigative report, citing privacy concerns without the authorization of Humane Society President Dr. Carol Feather. Repeated attempts to reach Dr. Feather this week were unsuccessful.
(Dyersburg State Gazette - December 25, 2011)
