"I'm sad and scared," said Lajovian Ware.
Ware's sister, five-year-old Mimi, was bitten by the pit bull that lives next door as she was walking to her school bus stop on Wednesday morning.
"Her whole leg was bleeding," Ware said. "All I could do was yell at my mom that the dog was eating her."
The dog broke her ankle before another neighbor from across the street and the girl's mother were able to get the dog to release the little girl. She's underwent surgery and is recovering at Arkansas Children's Hospital.
"This could be a very tragic event," said Bishop Sam Wherry.
Wherry's grandchildren live in the subdivision, and he's beginning to fear for their safety.
"I have a grandson that lives two doors up and this same animal tried to attack he and his mom," Wherry said. "These dogs aren't in fences. They're just on chains.They get loose, and all of a sudden you have a child mauled."
He believes federal regulations restrict breeds like pit bulls from even being on the premises.
"I remember looking through the subdivision guidelines. No, dogs cannot be here," he said.
These houses were funded with subsidies through the Farmer's Home Program, which eventually became the Rural Development program under the USDA's direction.
But officials could say for sure whether there were or still are restrictions for pets.
"We need help in trying to solve this before these innocent children become injured," Wherry said.
Monticello does have a vicious dog ordinance requiring aggressive breeds to be chained up or fenced in.
The owners of the animal involved in the attack declined to speak to KARK on camera. However, they say the animal was chained up the entire time. They hope for a speedy recovery for the child, but insist they weren't negligent.
The girl and eyewitnesses, however, say the dog was roaming free around the neighborhood when the attack occurred.
"She said the dog had dragged her out the road and started to bite her on the leg," Ware said.
Either way, a small child remains severely injured, leaving deep wounds in her neighborhood as well.
Police are investigating the timeline of events. The police report notes officers found the animal chained to a boat in the back yard after receiving the call, and that the animal was growling at them.
The dog was removed from the property and is required to remain in quarantine for at least 10 days.
They are also investigating allegations that this dog has attacked other children in the subdivision prior to this event.
(KARK - November 29, 2012)
