"It's nerve racking. It's a very nerve racking situation to be in," said Bennie Bryant, who was pulled from his lawnmower, thrown to the ground, and bitten multiple times by a neighbor's pit bull who had escaped from the owner's property. "I got my other hand around him and I was keeping him off of me and he was about 6-8 inches from my face trying to get to my face and neck."
Bryant suffered gashes on one of his arms and legs. The dog was seized by animal control will be tested for rabies to determine whether the victim will need to be vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the owner has been cited and will face a judge next week. According to the county's new vicious dog ordinance, a guilty plea calls for a fine of up to $1,000 and 1 year in jail.
"This was the exact scenario that we were trying to prevent and the owner unfortunately did not abide by the law," said Garland county Justice of the Peace Mary Bournival. "In order for him to even consider giving the animal back the owner is going to have to comply with a very specific set of guidelines."
Bryant said he's pleased with the tougher penalties and hopes the judge won't allow the dog back onto the owner's property. "I think the owner is responsible for the dog," he added. "If the dog isn't being raised right, this is what happens."
(THV 11 - Oct 9, 2014)
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