OHIO -- A 10-year-old girl was taken to the hospital Monday after she was chased and attacked by two dogs on Belmont Avenue.
A witness told Richland County Sheriff's deputies he saw two pit bull dogs begin to chase the girl, who was walking with friends, around 3 p.m. Monday. The dogs then viciously attack the girl, knocking her to the ground and then climbing onto her and continuing the attack, according to the witness.
The girl was bitten in the right arm and scratched on her left side before she was able to get up and run into her residence. The witness then chased the dogs away with a shovel.
Madison Township EMS treated the girl for her injuries and took her to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital for minor to moderate injuries, according to the sheriff's office report.
The witness described the dogs as pit bulls, one of them black and the other black with some white. The black and white dog was the one that bit the girl, according to Richland County Dog Warden Dave Jordan.
While officers were chasing and attempting to catch the dogs, sergeant with the sheriff's department attempted to tase the black dog, which was being aggressive toward him, but the taser was not effective and the dog continued to run.
The Richland County Dog Warden's office located the black and white dog at 1018 Burger Ave. and found it belonged to Raina Deschner, 19, a resident at the same address. Deschner told officials she also cares for the other dog that is known as a stray in the neighborhood.
The warden charged Deschner with two counts of having a dog at large and one count of having a dog without a license. He also deemed the black and white female dog dangerous, requiring the owner to follow numerous containment laws. The dog must be muzzled and kept on a leash no longer than six feet. Signs warning of a dangerous dog must be posted on the property, and the dog must be micro-chipped. The owner also must purchase a special dangerous dog license.
The county health department is following up to make sure the dog does not have rabies, Jordan said, adding that there was no evidence to indicate the dog was rabid and the owner claimed the dog was current on its vaccinations.
Jordan said Deschner was surprised to hear her dog acted aggressively as it does not act that way in her home, where she has children.
The warden advised Deschner it is not uncommon for dogs to act differently out of the home and warned her of the dangers of letting the dog loose again. While the charges for a first offense are minor misdemeanors, the severity of charges increases on the second offense.
Jordan said the black stray dog remained at large Tuesday, and is being treated as a dangerous dog until authorities can prove otherwise. The warden's office received a tip the dog was seen on Belmont Avenue Tuesday afternoon, but the dog could not be located.
Jordan said under state law, Deschner qualifies as a keeper and harborer of the stray dog because she admitted to allowing it into her home and feeding it and she never reported the dog to the warden's office.
The dog may or may not have another owner, Jordan said, and anyone with information about an owner of the black dog or the whereabouts of the dog is asked to call the dog warden's office at (419) 774-5892.
(Mansfield News Journal - Jan 26, 2016)
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