West Virginia: Penny LeBlond, 31, charged with felony animal cruelty for killing her dog

WEST VIRGINIA -- A Meadowbrook woman was charged with felony animal cruelty Monday, accused of shooting dead a 7-year-old redbone pit bull mix dog who belonged to either her, her ex-boyfriend, or both of them.

Penny Ann LeBlond, 31, was released on $10,000 bond after an initial appearance before Harrison Magistrate Tammy Marple on the charge lodged by State Police Senior Trooper Roger Glaspell.

LeBlond is believed to have fired a slug from a 12-gauge into the dog’s ear area, according to Glaspell.

The defendant told Glaspell she shot the dog Friday night “because it bit a small child she was babysitting,” according to the criminal complaint.

However, the bite was said to have occurred at 9:30 a.m. Friday, and the shooting reportedly occurred around 5 p.m. that same day, Glaspell has alleged. He added that he found the dog’s body in a plastic bag in the trunk of a car owned by a relative of the defendant.

The trooper “observed three small abrasions on the child’s forehead, neck and head. Said abrasions did not appear consistent with a vicious dog bite,” the complaint alleges.

Glaspell noted that even if a dog bites a child, it isn’t justifiable to shoot the animal hours later. An example of a circumstance when it would be OK to kill an animal, according to the lawman: If it was attacking a child, there was fear for the safety of the juvenile, and the animal wouldn’t respond to commands to stop.

Those who are bitten by a dog should call animal control and the police, Glaspell added.

WHAT STARTED THE INVESTIGATION
According to West Virginia State Police, the ex-boyfriend of Penny Ann LeBlond, 31, of Meadowbrook, contacted police asking for a welfare check of his dog at LeBlond's residence.

He told police that the dog had been missing from his residence, and a mutual friend had contacted him saying he needed to get the dog from Leblond's residence or she would kill it because it bit her.

He contacted police because he believed it was a ploy to get him to come to the residence.


If convicted, LeBlond could face 1-5 years in prison and/or a fine. Additionally, the court would be required to prohibit LeBlond from possessing, owning or residing with any animal for 15 years in the event of a felony conviction.

Marple ordered the defendant to have no contact with animals while her charge is pending.

(The Exponent Telegram - Aug 1, 2016)

West Fork Man Shoots Neighbor’s Dog In Head, Gets Probation

ARKANSAS -- A West Fork man was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to shooting his neighbor’s dog in the head with an air rifle, according to the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office.

Michael Allen Parks, 52, was sentenced in Washington County Circuit Court to one year of probation and 30 days of community service. He was also fined $500 and ordered to pay court costs in the case, said deputy prosecutor Denis Dean.

Parks reached a plea deal with prosecutors in which his initial charges, felony aggravated cruelty to a dog and misdemeanor cruelty to an animal, were reduced to a charge of misdemeanor cruelty to an animal, Dean said.

The suspect was arrested last summer after his neighbor told police Parks shot her Redbone hound named Lucy in the head with an air rifle after the dog ran onto his property

The neighbor said she was riding her horse near Parks’ property when her dog ran past an invisible barrier separating her property from Parks’. Lucy the dog ran up to Parks’ fence, after which Parks went into his home and came out with an air rifle, reaching it over the fence and shooting the dog in the head, Dean said.

The dog was injured, but animal doctors were able to treat the bloody puncture wound and heal the dog, according to the prosecutor.

(5NewsOnline - Feb 28, 2014)

Police: Dog killed after officer felt threatened

TENNESSEE -- A Maryville police officer shot and killed a dog in self-defense while responding to a possible prowler early Sunday morning, according to a Maryville Police Department report.

Two Maryville police officers responded to a residence on Wheatmoor Drive in reference to the prowler at about 6:32 a.m. The homeowner was contacted, and said she had heard noises on her deck.

After checking the area with no results, one of the officers started to leave, but saw three dogs running up the front porch of the residence.

The officer started to walk to the back of the residence when all three dogs, identified as two Redbone Coonhounds and an English bulldog, ran toward him growling.

The officer started to back up against the residence when the Redbones were coming toward him in an aggressive nature. The Redbones were growling at him and one of them started to attack him.

The officer then pulled his service weapon and fired one shot, striking the attacking Redbone, according to the report.

The dogs ran after the shot was fired, and an animal control officer was notified and responded to the scene. The slain dog’s owner, whose identity was not immediately available, was found and told of the incident.

The Redbone that was shot was found dead inside a residence nearby under construction on Homestead Court. The builder was contacted and responded.

The Maryville Fire Department also responded to the scene. The incident is under investigation.

(The Daily Times - Nov 21, 2013)

Washington: $975,000 Dollar Settlement For Family Of Man Who Died From Dog Bite

WASHINGTON -- The family of a dog bite victim hired attorney Chris Davis of Davis Law Group, P.S. after the man’s injuries led to a devastating infection that took his life just 10 days after the attack initially occurred.

On February 9, 2010, Kenneth Bock was working as a manager at Chain Lake Mini Storage in Monroe when a dog that was allegedly wandering the property bit him on the hand.

The dog belonged to a man named Konrad Haskins, who was a customer visiting the storage facility at the time of the attack.

It was discovered that Haskins’ dog had actually bit another person at the same facility earlier in the day, and that Haskins gave the man a sanitizer wipe and paid him cash “for his inconvenience,” according to court documents.

The day after Bock was bitten by the dog, he developed severe shooting pains in one of his legs. He visited a hospital to undergo medical testing for the pain, where doctors eventually discovered the forming of a blood clot.

Bock had apparently developed a bacterial infection believed to be caused by a bacteria commonly found in animal saliva.

Defendants Blamed Victim for Own Death
Though the dog clearly had an aggressive past – claims which were further confirmed by veterinary records that showed the dog had a history of biting people since it was a puppy – the defendants attempted to blame Mr. Bock for his own injuries and death.

Haskins’ attorney claimed that the dog was in the back of a vehicle and that Bock was bit after having reached into an open window.

Mr. Davis attempted to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insurance company that carried a homeowner’s insurance policy for Haskins, but was forced to file an official lawsuit after they refused to pay.

“This is not the first time the dog bit somebody,” Mr. Davis told The Seattle Times after filing the lawsuit against Haskins. “Mr. Haskins and his wife knew their dog was dangerous or at least potentially dangerous to humans.”

The dog had been put down about a week after the bite that injured Mr. Bock, and Chris Davis was able to successfully negotiate a settlement of $975,000 for the estate of Kenneth Bock, which was represented by his son, Aaron Bock.

Brief Case Summary:
Kenneth Bock was bitten on the hand by a wandering dog while he was working at a storage facility in Monroe. The dog bite led to a massive infection and Bock tragically died 10 days later. The defendant blamed our client for his death, but we were able to recover a $975,000 settlement on behalf of his estate.

(injurytriallawyer.com - January 1, 2013?)

Earlier:

• Washington: Family of man who died after bite from Redbone Coonhound sue's dog's owner

Washington: Family of man who died after bite from Redbone Coonhound sue's dog's owner

WASHINGTON -- The family of a man who died after a dog bite has sued the dog’s owner for wrongful death.

The family of Kenneth Bock claims that dog owner Konrad Haskins was aware that his Redbone Coonhound had a history of biting people, but still let him roam without a leash.

Haskins has denied through his lawyer that his dog, Buddy, was off-leash the day Bock was bitten.

Bock and Haskins were both at Chain Lake Mini-Storage in Monroe in February. According to the lawsuit, filed in Snohomish County Superior Court, Buddy was wandering the property. The dog bit Bock on the finger, drawing blood, said the family’s attorney, Chris Davis.

The next day, Bock had severe pain in his leg. He went to the hospital, where doctors found a blood clot that had formed, Davis said.

  

Bock developed an infection doctors diagnosed as Capnocytophaga canimorsus sepsis, a bacterium commonly found in the saliva of cats and dogs, the lawsuit said.

Bock died 10 days after the bite.

“This is not the first time the dog bit somebody,” Davis said. “Mr. Haskins and his wife knew their dog was dangerous or at least potentially dangerous to humans.”

Haskins’ lawyer, Gary Trabolsi, contends Haskins had put the dog in his SUV, and Bock reached through an open window toward the dog when he was bit.

“Before you pet a dog, especially on somebody else’s property, you need to make sure that’s OK with the owner,” Trabolsi said.

The dog also bit another person, Daniel Bork, earlier that day at the same place, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit says Haskins paid Bork $100 as compensation. Trabolsi said Haskins did not see any blood or broken skin, but gave him a sanitizer wipe and $20 “for his inconvenience,” not $100.

According to state law, Davis said, a dog’s owner can be held civilly responsible if his or her dog bites someone and the owner knew the dog was potentially dangerous.

Veterinary records show that the dog bit people as a puppy, Davis said. The owner had the dog put down a week after the bite, Trabolsi said.

The lawsuit seeks damages for pain and suffering.

The bacterium led to multiple organ failure and tissue necrosis, and Bock died a painful death, essentially rotting to death, Davis said.

“Obviously, no amount of money is ever going to make up for what happened,” Davis said. “The family is very upset.”

Haskins has a homeowner’s insurance policy and a small-business-owner’s policy for his barbecue business that could cover the death, but Davis said the insurance company has refused to pay the full amount of both policies — about $1.5 million — to the Bock family, so the family decided to sue, Davis said.

(Seattle Times - September 9, 2010)