FLORIDA -- The four mixed-breed pit bulls accused of inflicting severe bite wounds on a jogger in Joe Moody Harris Park will be deemed dangerous dogs and possibly euthanized, Bay County officials said Friday.
One of the dogs, Hershey, has already been surrendered by its owner and will be euthanized in 10 days. The other three mixed-breed pit bulls will be deemed dangerous, and the fate of the dogs will be left in the hands of Taylor, county officials said.
The dogs’ owner, 33-year-old Teresa Taylor, is facing a misdemeanor charge and citation in connection with the attack.
The attack victim, Darrell Corbin, remained in stable condition after undergoing several surgeries while a national group has coincidentally organized “National Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day” to take place Saturday.
Panama City Police Department arrived at Joe Moody Harris Park at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to find the jogger had been attacked by four or five mixed-breed pit bulls. Corbin sustained serious injuries across his body, including bites on both arms, his face and head. The jogger was taken to a local hospital as officers and Bay County Animal Control corralled the dogs, PCPD reported.
Four dogs were taken to Animal Control while one dog remained at large. The four dogs in custody will each receive the designation of “dangerous dog,” which Taylor can choose to appeal and go through the court process. Otherwise, all of the other dogs could be euthanized, officials said.
“If the special magistrate upholds the distinction (of a dangerous dog), the owner may appeal to a county judge,” said Bay County spokeswoman Valerie Sale. “Because of the severity of the victim’s injuries, it may be determined that the dangerous animals are not to be returned to the owner and are euthanized.”
Once a dog is deemed dangerous, several requirements have to be met by the owner to regain possession of the animal: Dangerous dogs have to be registered, identified with a written description and color photograph that has to be reissued each year; and the owner has to get insurance of at least $100,000 and proper enclosures to confine the dog under the ordinance. The dog can never enter an off-leash park in Bay County again, and the “dangerous dog” designation is never lifted.
Taylor also was arrested and released with a notice to appear on charges of attack or bite by a dangerous dog, which is a second-degree misdemeanor, and allowing dogs to run at large, which is a $250 citation, PCPD reported. Authorities filed an additional misdemeanor charge Thursday of attack by a known dangerous dog against Taylor.
Several attacks by mixed-breed pit bulls have occurred in the past. A group of more than 50 pit bull attack victims has formed to raise awareness Saturday in the inaugural “National Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day,” which coincides with “National Pit Bull Awareness Day.”
The group released figures that state “although only 5 percent of the U.S. and Canadian dog population are pit bulls, in the past nine years pit bulls have accounted for 80 percent of the dogs involved in fatal and disfiguring attacks, resulting in two-thirds of the deaths and disfigurements.”
The group, which has partnered with PETA, launched a website that outlines the effect of pit bulls on families and communities with respect to public safety. The website features state-by-state reports of serious pit bull attacks, disfigurements and fatalities, along with state and local legislation pertaining to the breed.
(The News Herald - Oct 23, 2015)
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