Illinois: Kennel worker sues owners of Akita which attacked her at boarding facility; says dog had attacked two other people in the past

ILLINOIS -- A Madison County woman is suing two dog owners, alleging an Akita that had been boarded at the kennel where she works attacked her.

Alexis P. Martinez filed the lawsuit Dec. 16 in Madison County Circuit Court against David Lowry and Barbara Lowry of Stone Hill Court, Edwardsville, alleging strict liability, malicious and intentional injury, and negligence.

According to the complaint, some time before Aug. 16, the defendants boarded their Akita at Cindy's Critter Camp Inc., 2330 S. Center St., Maryville.

Although the attack happened at Cindy's Critter Camp, it doesn't
appear that the victim blames the business; just the owners

The dog is a large Akita named “Samurai,” that allegedly attacked the worker without being provoked. The plaintiff also alleges the owners previously attacked a 16-year-old boy on July 21 and a 37-year-old man on Sept. 11, 2012, both at the defendants’ home.

“At the time, the defendants boarded the dog at the kennel, they failed to inform the kennel of the dog’s dangerous propensity to viciously attack and bite people,” the suit alleges.

The plaintiff started working at the kennel in March 2014 as a general laborer, cleaning the kennels and feeding the animals that were boarded there.

On Aug. 15, 2015, the lawsuit states, the Lowry dog suddenly attacked Martinez, biting her on the arm, hand and head. Another employee witnessed the attack, the suit says, and eventually got the dog to stand down.

The plaintiff alleges she sustained significant physical and mental injuries as well as permanent scarring. She says she sustained medical costs, psychological treatment costs, loss of income, general damages, pain and suffering, physical disfigurement including scars on her face,

Martinez seeks a jury trial, damages and other relief the court deems proper. She is represented by attorneys Larry E. Parres and Duane Coleman of Lewis Rice LLC in St. Louis.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-1633

(Madison Record - Jan 9, 2016)