SOUTH CAROLINA -- A Warrenville woman - who, over the past two weeks, used social media to gain support after her dog that was taken away for allegedly biting two people - was found guilty in magistrate court Tuesday.
Toni King, of Marie Street in Warrenville, was found guilty of having an at-large animal, having a dangerous animal and having an unvaccinated animal, according to Sharon Ready with magistrate Judge Carl Insley's office, but she will get her dog back once her fines are paid.
King's 5-year-old pit bull, Champ, was taken by Aiken County Animal Control on Feb. 16 after it allegedly bit a boy who got off a school bus and a neighbor who was called to check on the child, according to the incident report.
King claimed that her dog bit its way out of its collar when he was left on a tie-out for a few minutes, and when she heard her Lab barking and returned outside, she noticed that Champ had left the yard but returned immediately upon being called.
She said that she did not believe her dog would bite anyone, but she was found guilty of all three counts of which she was accused Tuesday after a hearing.
King was sentenced to a fine of $107 or 30 days in jail for having an animal at large, $470 or 30 days for having a dangerous animal, and $107 or 30 days in jail for having an uninoculated animal, Ready said, adding that King has decided to pay the fine.
King said last week that her dog was the victim of breed discrimination, and what she wanted was for Champ to come home.
Aiken County Animal Control chief enforcement officer Bobby Arthurs said last week that Champ was taken to the Aiken County Animal Shelter and would remain there until the hearing, adding that under South Carolina law, when a dog bite breaks skin, the issue must be reported to the Department of Health and Environmental Control and the dog must be issued under quarantine for 10 days.
Champ was past due on his rabies vaccination, Arthurs said, which King said she did not know. Ready said that King would be getting the dog back once the animal shelter completes the vaccination on the dog, for which King will be required to pay restitution to the shelter.
By Tuesday evening, King posted a photo of Champ riding in the back of a vehicle on her Facebook page with the caption "Freedom," and in less than an hour had more than 100 comments of congratulations and well-wishes.
The Facebook page, titled "Save Champ -- Our Pitt Bull," had 1,740 "likes" and raised more than $600 in support of Champ.
(Aiken Standard - Feb 29, 2012)
