"I'm going to start looking for all the information on pit bulls I can find, and maybe find some other people who have been victims," said Cindy Ryder, 56. "I'm also going to look at other cities and what their restrictions are and how the ban is working for them."
Ryder said she thinks the current "dangerous animal" ban the city of Wausau enforces is not enough to keep citizens safe, and she said she will work with interested people and put together a list of goals and intended outcomes.
Marathon County Circuit Judge Greg Grau on Tuesday ordered that the pit bull that attacked Ryder be put down as soon as practicable, and Ryder said Wednesday she takes some comfort from the order.
"It's a sad win," Ryder said. "I feel for (the owner) because I know how it feels to lose an animal, but there were no vaccinations, and she wasn't taking care of the dog. Like the judge said, there was really no other option."
The attack happened June 19 on the 900 block of Washington Street after the pit bull charged from its home. Ryder was taken by ambulance to the hospital after she was bitten by the pit bull on her arm, wrist and back of the head while trying to save her Chihuahua, Bartok.
Her recovery has been slow, Ryder said, and she still is in physical therapy for the limited range of motion in her left wrist.
"I have scar tissue on my arm, and my arm and wrist are still pretty swollen," Ryder said. "When the dog got ahold of my lower arm and wrist, I heard crunching, and there was some internal damage. There's also nerve damage in my whole arm."
Ryder said she applies coconut oil daily to the areas where she was bitten to help prevent the scarring from getting worse. She also said it is difficult to perform simple tasks such as using a hair dryer or typing on a computer keyboard. After the incident, the city declared the pit bull "prohibited dangerous" and it was quarantined at the Humane Society of Marathon County.
Wausau Police Lt. Matt Barnes said the pit bull remained under quarantine as of Wednesday afternoon at the Humane Society of Marathon County shelter, and said that the euthanasia could happen as early as Wednesday evening. The Police Department is responsible for scheduling the euthanasia, Barnes said, and for finding a vet clinic in the city to perform the task.
Humane Society Executive Director Mary Kirlin said Amanda Williams, the pit bull's owner, was visiting the dog at the shelter Wednesday afternoon. She declined to let Daily Herald Media photograph the animal.
Ryder said she would like to find a solution that is fair, and that she has no problem with responsible owners who have insurance coverage in case of an attack, or who accept the responsibility of owning a pit bull.
Williams was cited June 19 for allowing a dog to run loose, keeping a vicious dog, failing to license the animal and failure to have it vaccinated for rabies. Daily Herald Media was unable to contact Williams on Wednesday.
According to court documents, Williams is responsible for the euthanasia costs to the city and county.
(Wausau Daily Herald - Aug 5, 2014)
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