A Cobb County Animal Control officer arrives at the leasing office at Walton Legacy Apartments in Walton Village on Roberta Drive in Marietta near where a dog attack took place Monday morning.
Photo by Mike Jacoby
Photo by Mike Jacoby
The 67-year-old woman, whose name was not released as of late Tuesday, refused transport to the hospital for injuries to her hands and face. The extent of the Jack Russell's injuries were not known; however, police said the woman was planning to take the dog to a veterinarian.
Cobb County Animal Control spokesman Nathan McCreary said the woman was walking near Walton Village apartments, off Roberta Drive near Austell Road, at 6:30 a.m. when the pit bulls chased her into the complex and attacked her small terrier. The woman was bitten when she tried to intervene, McCreary said. Marietta Police Officer Michael Gardner said the attack was in the breezeway of one of the buildings and some neighbors came out and tried to get the dogs off the woman.
The pit bulls ran off after the attack and were captured by Animal Control officers four hours later in a wooded area near Saine Drive and Sandtown Road, McCreary said.
"I want to stress the outstanding work done by our animal control officers, Seanna Abbott, Billie Jo Kohler and Jeff Davis," McCreary said. "These officers have a very difficult job and showed an extreme amount of dedication to the community as they tracked these vicious animals until they were caught."
The owner of the pit bulls, Donald Wilkes, signed over his dogs to Animal Control and was charged with two counts each of failure to control an animal, vicious animal and failure to maintain rabies vaccination records. Wilkes lives near the area, but not in the same apartment complex, McCreary said.
The pit bulls will be euthanized and tested for rabies.
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Why is it that you never hear about other breeds attacking dogs and people? I think it is ignorant to sterotype ONE particular breed. Please take the owners into consideration. Most of these "newsworthy" dogs are being abused and not taken care of. Unfortunately, just like a human they take it out on someone else. I think the penalty for animal cruelty/neglect should be much stiffer. BTW WHO LIVES IN APARTMENT WITH 2 BIG DOGS? Pit bulls are high energy dogs and need to be exercised. They are very loyal and loving dogs. They are not the type to be in a apartment, pen or on a chain.
dog owners like this one give all of us a bad name. while we don't own any pitbulls, we have a Presa Canario and a Doberman. we've had dobermans for 26 years now and i strongly believe that a dog is as good as it's owner!
if you own a pitbull or a related breed, you have to have a very strong personalty because those dogs need a strong leader!
i firmly believe that ownership of pitbulls and related breeds should reqire a license that involves intensives training for the owners. that is the only way to ensure that pitbulls stay the gentle breed that they are and this is a necessity for humans and other pets!