Tennessee: Family files $250,000 lawsuit against Blount County Animal Shelter after they adopted out a known-vicious pit bull - which then tried to kill their seven-year-old son

TENNESSEE -- A Maryville family has filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the Blount County Animal Shelter after a 7-year-old boy was severely injured by a pit bull adopted out by the shelter.

The lawsuit was filed in Blount County Circuit Court May 2 by Samson Kim and Jennifer Kim.

According to the complaint, on May 18 last year their son, Sport Kim, was at the home of an apparent family friend who had visited the Blount County Animal Shelter and adopted the pit bull.

The lawsuit claims that handlers at the animal shelter had knowledge that the pit bill had vicious behavior, but told the friend that the dog was well-behaved and did not display any aggression whatsoever.

The suit also claims that the shelter had insufficient information on the history of the dog to make a proper determination regarding its aggressive nature, but placed the dog up for adoption anyway.

When the boy was in the friend’s home, he interacted with the dog, but the dog viciously attacked him, and his parents had to pull the dog off him.

The boy suffered severe and life-threatening injuries as a result of the incident, including 1,000 stitches to his face and continues to undergo additional medical treatment, according to the suit.

The Kims filed suit claiming the shelter was negligent in providing proper information that the knew the dog had questionable behavior, and should have warned the of the potential dangers.

They also have financial liabilities for their son’s treatment, and are suing for those expenses and pain and suffering.

Knoxville-based attorneys Tony Farmer and John P. Dreiser are representing the Kim family, while Craig Garrett, attorney for the Blount County Mayor’s Office, is representing the shelter. Neither party could be reached for comment on the case.

(Daily Times - May 10, 2014)