Family fights for quarantined dog

OHIO -- The owner of a quarantined dog is fighting to get him back, after she says she was misled about how badly he injured a little girl.

A small group held signs outside the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center Wednesday afternoon.

The group’s message– “Don’t kill a family pet.”

“He’s not a pit bull. He’s not a rottweiler. You know, when you think of an aggressive dog, someone’s done really dangerous harm. He’s not done that.”

Teresa Hall is the owner of the 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier.

Saturday, August 9, police responded to KOA Campgrounds in Brookville on reports of a dog bite.
According to the report, Chief had bitten the face of a one-year-old girl who was with her parents, visiting the campgrounds from Minnesota.

Hall said police showed up at her door, telling her the dog had ‘mauled’ a child. She immediately went to talk to the family.

“When I went to see the child, and I saw the two small marks on the child’s face. We apologized.”

The child’s injuries did not require stitches.

“We worked it out between the family, that we would pay all their medical expenses. However, the animal resource center wants to put him to sleep.”

For the last four weeks, Chief has been in custody of the animal shelter.

Hall filed an injunction to get the dog back, but the ARC filed a motion to dismiss it– citing Hall’s signature to give up ownership of the animal.

On top of losing a family pet, Hall is hearing impaired. She relied on Chief to help her when she takes out her hearing implants.

“He belongs with his family. He’s a great dog. He’s very smart. He rides a tractor, he rides motorcycles. He hunts bull frogs in the pond. It would be like killing Benji.”

ARC officials said Chief does not have a violent history, and there is no record of him biting anyone in the past.

“A dog bite is a dog bite,” said Communications Director, Cathy Peterson. She also said the shelter will wait on a judge’s decision on whether the dog will be euthanized.

(WDTN - Sept 3, 2014)