Judge orders Chippewa County dog to be euthanized

WISCONSIN -- An American Bulldog that attacked a young boy and another dog in Chippewa Falls last year will be euthanized.

Chippewa County Judge James Isaacson on Tuesday ordered Chippewa Falls resident Mauro Martinez to surrender the dog so it can be killed. Isaacson determined Martinez knew about the attacks and agreed with Chippewa Falls officials that the dog should be euthanized.

Mayor Greg Hoffman said killing the animal is the only resolution to the issue.

"We have a proven record that this dog is very aggressive and not controllable," Hoffman said.

Chippewa Falls city attorney Bob Ferg said the 6-year-old dog, named Shay, currently lives at a village of Lake Hallie residence. Ferg said he will draft a letter this week, which will be submitted to Isaacson and Martinez. Martinez has five business days to contest the wording of Ferg's letter. Ferg estimates the dog likely will be euthanized next week.

The Chippewa Falls City Council filed a lawsuit seeking the dog's euthanization in October after Shay bit a 6-year-old boy June 6 and attacked another dog Sept. 24. At that time the dog lived at 209 W. Columbia St., just west of downtown, with Martinez, 38, and Ashley Brown, 20.

Cindy Eckes, 39, 410 Superior St., told the City Council she was walking her dog Sept. 24 past 209 W. Columbia St. when two dogs at that address - one of them Shay - dug under a fence and attacked her 2-year-old yellow Labrador, Sandy.

The lawsuit states that Eckes asked Martinez to call off his dogs, but Martinez responded by swearing at her.

(Leader Telegram - Feb 14, 2012)