Less than an hour later, Buddy's muzzle was removed and the 65-pound animal attacked again, biting another technician's arms.
Cook County Animal Control Department officials described the incidents as a "bloodbath," and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez took the unusual step of going to court to try to have the dog declared vicious and get it euthanized.
In a court system that deals with thousands of criminal prosecutions, divorces and lawsuits each year, Buddy's case is extremely rare, according to the state's attorney, only the second time in six years that the office had pursued a vicious dog hearing.
The county and Buddy's caretakers eventually reached a settlement, and the dog this week was released back to its owners in Tinley Park.
In Cook County, most dog bites don't result in legal action. Out of the 25,000 reported animal bites since 2008, Cook County Animal Control has taken action against a relative few animals and their owners, and fewer still ended up in court.
Animal Control Administrator Donna Alexander said most dog attacks aren't severe enough to warrant the "vicious" designation.
"When we get into the vicious dog, that's when the bite is so severe that it warrants this kind of attention," Alexander said. "And yes, knock on wood, we're very lucky that we don't have that many that often."
When a dog bites a person or animal in Cook County, state law requires local police or veterinarians to notify Animal Control, Alexander said. If the animal is current on its rabies vaccinations, most cases end there, Alexander said.
Animal Control has the right under state law to label a dog dangerous if it considers the circumstances of a bite alarming, but even that step is uncommon. Only 83 dogs are currently designated dangerous in Cook County, officials said. Dangerous dogs may be required to use shorter leashes or wear a muzzle in public and could be ordered to be spayed or neutered.
If Cook County Animal Control deems the dog an even greater danger, it can request a "vicious dog" court hearing, officials said. Animal Control asked the state's attorney to file a complaint after investigating the February incident involving Buddy.
SHELTER DEEMED PIT BULL OK FOR ADOPTION
Little is known about Buddy's history. Joliet Township officials discovered him tied to a tree, apparently abandoned, during January's frigid weather, Joliet Township Animal Control Director Sarah Gimbel said.
While in the township's care, Buddy showed "no signs of aggression" and passed basic temperament testing, Gimbel said. Because of Buddy's breed and Joliet Township's limited space, the dog was sent to Chicago-based Furever Rescue to be adopted.
Tinley Park residents Stephanie Hanson and Anthony Concialdi agreed to foster Buddy from Furever Rescue, according to Hanson's testimony during a Tinley Park municipal hearing on the attack. Furever Rescue's co-founder, who was ultimately responsible for the fostered pet, was fined $250 by the village for the attack.
Through their lawyer, Hanson and Concialdi declined to comment.
Buddy was neutered, and Hanson brought the dog to the Veterinary Clinic of Tinley Park to have sutures removed Feb. 21. Britz took Buddy into an examination room and knelt to check the dog's sutures. The dog growled and Britz froze to avoid startling the animal. That's when Buddy attacked, biting her face and arms.
About 30 minutes later, veterinarian Cynthia Cecott and technician Lisa Goolsby went back to examine the dog. When Goolsby removed Buddy's muzzle, the dog lunged, sinking its teeth into Goolsby's forearm and leaving deep wounds. Both Britz and Goolsby were hospitalized, leading a Tinley Park animal control officer to write to the county requesting an investigation.
The state's attorney's office filed its vicious dog complaint in March.
Whereabouts unknown
Before Buddy's case, the last vicious dog complaint brought by Alvarez's office was in 2012, when the county filed a petition against two pit bulls in Chicago. Those dogs have been involved in at least three attacks, court records show.
In October 2011, Chicago resident Rob Zumph took his German shorthair for an early morning walk at Walsh Park in Wicker Park. As he stepped into the dog park, Zumph recalled hearing a man shout that his dogs weren't friendly. Two pit bulls rushed Zumph and his animal shortly after. The pit bulls grabbed Zumph's dog by the hindquarters and around the neck.
"My dog was just bleeding from everywhere," recalled Zumph, whose dog survived.
After a second incident, one of the pit bulls was deemed dangerous by Animal Control in April 2012. Two weeks later, both dogs attacked and injured a 6-year-old girl.
Alvarez's office filed a complaint that summer requesting that a judge rule the dogs vicious. In June 2013, the dogs were ordered to be turned over and euthanized, but the owner has not complied, the state's attorney's office said.
State's attorney's officers said they are trying to hold the owner in contempt of court. Animal Control said the owner's whereabouts are unknown.
(Chicago Tribune - June 6, 2014)
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