LOCK HAVEN, CLINTON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Residents of a Clinton County neighborhood say they are concerned about their safety, after a dog attack last week.
That attack was caught on camera and the drama unfolded in Lock Haven and 28/22 News first reported word of the attack on Wednesday.
The Lock Haven Police and the State Dog Warden are investigating the attack.
The I-Team says people in that neighborhood, and of course, the owner of the dog that was attacked, say they want to make sure something like this never happens again. We must warn viewers, that the video of the attack is disturbing.
The attack was captured on a neighbor's home security camera. The drama unfolded last Wednesday morning on South Fairview Street in Lock Haven as 81-year-old Bonnie Kephart took her 10-year-old shih-tzu "Mitzi" for her daily walk.
Neighbors threw trash can lids at the pitbull, which stopped the attack. Mitzi ran back to her home two blocks away. She suffered bites and lacerations.
"I want the pitbull put down. I don't want this to ever happen to anybody again. The dog warden in State College says they are going to try and claim it was a vicious dog," said Kephart.
U.S. Attorney warns of COVID-19 cryptocurrency scam
The dog warden and or police could file citations against the owner of the pit bull in district court. That would start the process in the legal system. Todd Hevner is the Executive Director of the Luzerne County S.P.C.A.
He is not involved in the Clinton County investigation but is speaking in general about cases like this.
"It is going to be a court process where the owner will have his day in court to either prove their animal is not dangerous or unfortunately they are proven the animal does have the propensity to attack. They'll be deemed a dangerous dog, that's not an immediate euthanasia order. But, it comes with a bunch of stipulations through the state," stated Hevner.
Hevner points out that the State Dog Warden and the police investigate dog attacks. The S.P.C.A. Looks into abuse and neglect cases.
Wayne Harvey is the Luzerne County S.P.C.A. Humane Officer, and the I-Team asked what should you do if you believe you have a dangerous animal in your neighborhood.
"We advise them to call their local police and would probably advise them to call the state dog warden on a situation, depending on how severe it is they would take care of it," added Harvey.
Pennsylvania lawmakers strengthened state dog laws last year after a series of dog attacks in Nanticoke.
Residents in the neighborhood complained the process of removing the dangerous dog was simply too slow.
The updates to the law increased the criminal penalties for all other violations of the dog law to $500 to $1,000 for summary offenses and $1,000 to $5,000 for misdemeanor offenses plus court costs. These changes should encourage more responsible dog ownership while also making it easier to take dangerous dogs off the street when they attack again."
State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski-(d) 121st district
Check out what laws are on the books in Pennsylvania to protect communities from dangerous dogs on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture website.
