The dog, which was remanded to the custody of the Associated Humane Societies following the attack on Aug. 18, recently underwent a 10-day evaluation period at the organization's shelter in Newark.
The dog bit the 50-year-old victim in the face, causing severe puncture wounds and lacerations that required stitches. Belleville emergency services took the woman, whom police would not identify, to Hackensack UMC Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, where she was released the following morning.
The pit bull was believed to have also bitten another dog several weeks prior to the attack on Fairway Avenue, according to police.
AHS Manager and Chief Animal Control Officer D.J. Infield said that a dog that bites can be quarantined by its owner on his/her property for 10 days following an incident, provided that its vaccinations are up to date and signed off on by a veterinarian. If the dog's shots are not up to date, the animal is brought to the shelter and quarantined for a 10-day period on the premises.
If the dog checks out OK after the 10 days are up, the veterinarian will sign off and the owner can reclaim the dog. If the dog becomes sick during the quarantine period, the shelter could possibly put it to sleep. The dog's head would then be sent to the state for rabies testing.
The owner of an aggressive dog could be brought to court after just one incident, depending upon the severity. Other options could include requiring installation of 10-foot-high fences around the owner's property to keep the dog from getting out, or requiring the dog to be muzzled when the owner had it out and about.
Infield had no news on Tuesday, the day the quarantine period for the Belleville pit bull ended.
"I haven't heard from anyone yet," he said at the time.
He also said that the dog's owners had not come to the shelter yet, and reiterated that stance on Friday.
He said on Friday that a phone call had been placed to the owner, and a letter had also been sent. He added that if the owner failed to file within 10 days from the end of the observation period, the dog would be put down, probably Friday, Sept. 7.
Infield said that adopting the pit bull is not an option for the shelter.
"We can't adopt an aggressive dog like that," he said.
(NorthJersey - August 31, 2012)
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