Pit bull had previously attacked a child in Sullivan County, Tennessee
VIRGINIA -- A pit bull that seriously injured a mother and daughter inside Moore Street Park on Friday afternoon has been euthanized after the owner gave consent to put the dog down because of its “vicious” nature, police said.
A Bristol Virginia Police Department report issued late Friday evening said Lisa Manis, 36, of the 600 block of Mary Street went to an adjoining apartment where a resident was keeping a male pit bull terrier for the owners who were identified as Adam Geiger and Stephanie Worley of Bristol, Tenn., and asked to take the dog for a walk.
Manis’ 6-year-old daughter accompanied her while she walked the dog. The two then entered Moore Street Park, located in the Virginia Hill Historic District at the corner of Moore and Edmond streets, just after 2 p.m. where the girl starting playing.
Police said while the child was on a swingset, the dog attacked the girl, grabbing her by the leg and inflicting puncture wounds, the report said.
Manis then tried to get the pit bull off her daughter when the dog started attacking her, according to the investigation and to eyewitnesses.
Brenda Otis of Bristol, Va., whose home is just a few feet from the playground where the attack started, initially discounted the screams coming from the park as children playing but realized seconds later that something tragic was taking place.
“I found a woman rolling around on the ground with this dog absolutely chewing her up,” Otis said.
“I ran back and called 911. I than ran back to the park, feeling totally helpless as to what to do. I screamed to the women that we had help coming, but she was begging and begging for someone to help her. We were reluctant to run over and grab this dog, but finally two young men came into the park and a lady who pulled up got out of her car and got an umbrella out of her car.”
Otis, who noticed the dog was wearing a halter and restraining leash, said the victim continued to be bitten all over her body by the pit bull, including between the thighs, around her head and on her ankles while the men attempted to wrestle the dog away from the victim and began hitting and stabbing the dog with the motorist’s umbrella to stop the dog’s attack.
The eyewitness also said that the woman’s young daughter had already ran from the scene once her mother had gotten the dog off of her, along with two other playmates, and went to a nearby home to get help.
Another eyewitness said that the dog was actually dragging the victim on the ground during the attack.
“She was covered with blood and mud from where she had rolled (on the ground),” Otis said. “They were able to pull the dog off, but the dog went back to (the victim) and they began hitting it again.
The dog started biting the umbrella at that point and was eventually able to get the dog off and contained to another part of the park.”
The owners also told police that the pit bull had recently bitten another child in Sullivan County, Tenn.
Otis said the men kept the dog under control until Bristol Virginia Animal Control Officer Deena Bouton came and collected the dog. Both victims were taken to Bristol Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Wellmont Health System Media Relations Coordinator Jim Wozinak said Manis was listed in good condition Friday evening. He noted that for policy reasons the condition of Mains’ daughter could not be released.
Virginia Department of Health Environmental Health Specialist Travis Holt said Friday afternoon that Bristol Virginia Animal Control had contacted his office and inquired about euthanizing the dog so that the animal could be tested for rabies.
“Our primary concern is the possibility of rabies exposure,” he said.
Holt said that once the dog was euthanized, the head would be sent to the Department of Consolidated Laboratory Services in Richmond where rabies testing could be conducted.
Bristol Virginia Police Department’s Captain Maynard Ratcliff said that no charges were being placed against the owners of the pit bull at this time and the investigation was continuing.
Virginia laws that deal with “dangerous or vicious dogs” can punish the owners with charges that range from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. Both charges contain substantial fines that can go up to $2,500 and could require the owner to serve jail time.
(Bristol Herald Courier - June 14, 2013)
