Oregon: Florence woman sues over alleged attack by neighbors’ pit bull mix dog

OREGON -- Hades was not unleashed, but a pit bull mix by that name did allegedly break loose and try to attack another dog earlier this year in an incident that a Florence woman says left her with a broken leg.

Kerin McCurdy is now suing the pit bull’ owners, alleging their negligence led to her injuries during the mid-May encounter. She’s seeking $865,000 in the suit, which was filed Tuesday in Lane County Circuit Court.

McCurdy alleges that the pit bull tried to attack her and her Pug in the Nopal Street area. While trying to save her pet from the pit bull’s grasp, McCurdy became caught in the two dogs’ leashes and fell to the ground, causing her to suffer a fractured shinbone, the lawsuit asserts.

Named as defendants in the lawsuit are Megan and Jason Houlihan. They lived in McCurdy’s neighborhood at the time of the incident and had the dog for more than six weeks, the suit says.

The Houlihans could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

McCurdy alleges in the suit that Hades twice in May tried to attack her Pug.

In the first incident, the pit bull was not on a leash when it ran from a teenage boy and approached McCurdy’s pet, according to the lawsuit.

The boy grabbed Hades by the collar and apologized to McCurdy before leaving the scene, the suit says.

Two weeks later, the pit bull got loose from a teenage girl who was walking the dog while using a leash, according to the lawsuit.

In that incident, McCurdy crossed the street in an attempt to get away from the pit bull but it ran at her and her Pug, resulting in the commotion that caused her to fall and break her leg, the suit asserts.

The girl told McCurdy that she could not hold the pit bull’s leash tightly enough to control the dog because she had burns on her hands, the lawsuit says.

McCurdy alleges the Houlihans knew the girl had burned hands, knew the pit bull was aggressive and strong, and were aware that the animal had previously killed cats and attacked other dogs.

The lawsuit further asserts that the pit bull was seen running at other dogs when a Florence police officer went to the Houlihans’ home on June 6 to issue a dog-at-large citation.

McCurdy is seeking $115,000 to cover past and future medical expenses, and $750,000 as compensation for non-economic damages. She says in the suit that she underwent leg surgery after the incident, and has suffered permanent injuries.

(Register Guard - Sept 15 2016)