Shelter director says dog may be spared
A court hearing for a pit bull that attacked a 5-year-old Effingham County boy has been postponed until January. The director of the shelter says there’s a chance the dog may not be euthanized.
Romie Currier, director of animal control for Effingham County, said the dog named “Kno” has been held since July 24, when he bit a child, in an individual cell at the county shelter.
Currier said the dog would not be placed in a home but might be sent where he could live outside, under the supervision of someone who is familiar with the breed.
She said work was being done with the victim’s parents, the former owners of the dog and a rescue group that handles such animals to see if Kno could be saved.
“I’ve seen bite cases that ended up being wonderful dogs,” she said. “It has to be in the hands of people who know what they’re doing. If you think you have a kitten and it turns out to be a rattlesnake, you’re in a world of hurt.”
Mickey Kicklighter, who was appointed to represent Kno pro bono, said today that he needed more time to prepare for the hearing. The hearing that was scheduled for Thursday before Judge William E. Woodrum Jr., has been postponed until Jan. 10.
Kicklighter said the question to be determined at the hearing is whether or not the dog will be euthanized.
“I’m talking to everyone involved to see if something can be worked out that meets everybody’s needs,” he said. “We’re not trying to place him in another home at all.”
The Springfield attorney said the fate of the dog has not yet been determined. “To say we’re likely to find somebody to take him, we’re not there yet,” Kicklighter said.
The dog attacked Wesley Frye on July 24, when the child was playing with another child inside a neighbor’s home in the Paddleford Subdivision. One of the dog’s owners, Julie Long, was able to stop the attack by getting the dog outside.
Frye’s injuries were severe and he underwent two surgeries shortly after the attack. The boy has scarring and the right side of his face is paralyzed, but he’s back at school, said Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman David Ehsanipoor.
The Longs surrendered the dog to the county immediately after the child was bitten. A magistrate on Aug. 7 deemed the dog “dangerous.” The county, “out of an abundance of caution,” requested a hearing to determine if it should be euthanized.
Woodrum appointed Kicklighter to represent Kno “in the interest of justice.” The Longs waived their right to appear at the hearing.
The magistrate’s order that said Kno was dangerous also said he may be put up for adoption provided that he is registered with the county each year, for a fee of $100. The new owner must provide evidence of: an enclosure that keeps the dog in and protected from the elements and children out, with clear warning signs; liability insurance of at least $15,000; and a surety bond of $15,000.
The dog also must be muzzled and on a strong leash when outside the enclosure, the order said.
Changes to the state law that took effect July 1 say a dog that causes “serious injury,” including one that requires a person to have plastic surgery or be admitted to a hospital, is a “vicious dog” that can be kept in a proper enclosure but must be registered annually, have a microchip and be covered by at least $50,000 in liability insurance.
Kno belongs to the county, which has been paying for his room and board for the 92 days since the boy was bitten. If the dog is kept at the shelter until Jan. 10, that would be a total of 170 days after the child was bitten.
The county charges $10 a day to house dogs that have been accused of biting someone, Currier said.