The attack happened in the Pioneer Pines park, and neighbors complain the managers haven't done enough about loose pets and stray animals.
On Wednesday, Eyewitness News got a look at the dog that attacked 51-year-old Barbara Morehouse. The animal is now being held at the Kern County Animal shelter under a 10-day quarantine.
Relatives say Morehouse is back home and doing OK. But, she had surgery for injuries to her eye. A sister says Morehouse can see out of the eye, she's getting antibiotics and will need more surgery.
Meanwhile, neighbor Cristen Dover says she's been worried about the big dog that attacked. She says the owner has a fence, but it's not good enough
"For the big dog that he had - that gets out - that's not strong enough for that dog, because he can jump over the fence, as well," she said.
The attack happened Tuesday afternoon at the park on Eucalyptus Drive. "The woman was trying to put the dog back in the yard," Senior Animal Control Officer Tracy Wolfe told Eyewitness News."Why he turned on the woman, I don't know."
When it happened, officers came out immediately and seized the dog.
Dover said neighbors have complained to the manager about dogs out loose. "Everybody has," she said. "About seven different times since last summer." But, Dover said nothing's been done.
Eyewitness News went to the park office, where a worker phoned the manager. Harold Nolan didn't want to do an on-camera interview, but said the park has taken action, and they have rules about pets.
The management has a "pet agreement" which residents must sign. Any dog must be registered, there are a number of rules about pet behavior, and it requires that any pet must be under 20 inches tall.
The rules also forbid a long list of certain breeds of large dogs.
Nolan said management may not be aware of violations, if residents keep a dog inside.
But managers also put out a memo to park residents in August, which warned about the number of complaints about dogs. It said pets out loose would be caught and turned over the Animal Control. And the memo warned about any violations of the rental agreement.
"In addition if your pet is not on (the) rental agreement, you will be given a 7 day notice to register (your) pet, if not compliant you will receive a first notice," the letter reads. If a resident is still not in compliance, the letter says an eviction notice will go out.
Nolan said he had not evicted any residents from Pioneer Pines for pet violations, but he had taken that action at other parks.
The manager also said they work with Kern County Animal Control at Pioneer Pines.
"We do show a lot of calls in that park," officer Tracy Wolfe said. She said that includes patrol checks, and if an officer finds an animal loose, they'll try to return it to the owner.
But, neighbors also complain about wild or stray dogs. Dover said they were attacked by several animals like that not too long ago. The manager said the staff will call Animal Control if they spot stray dogs, but it's dangerous for them to try catching the animals.
As for the dog that attacked on Tuesday, Wolfe said Animal Control has not received any complaints about it before. And while the victim's family says it may not be a pit bull, Wolfe called the dog a "pit bull mix."
When Eyewitness News went to the dog owner's home on Wednesday, no one was there. The victim's family said the owner had come to their house and apologized to Morehouse. The park manager said he planned to contact the owner.
Wolfe said animal control officers left a notice that the owner must contact them, but so far officers had not heard from him. She said if the owner does not contact the department by the end of the quarantine period, the dog could be given to a rescue, or it could then be euthanized.
As for any problems with dogs, the mobile home park manager stressed that residents could call Animal Control themselves. Dover said she had not done that until the attack on Tuesday.
The animal control officer said residents can call their office at 321-3000.
"If the dog is out, being extremely aggressive, again call Animal Control, you can even call the Sheriff's Department," Wolfe said. "One of our units will respond out there."
(Bakersfield Now - Nov 22, 2012)
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