By Dent County Prosecutor’s Office
A Dent County dog was euthanized on Monday, Aug. 18, following a trial held over a biting incident that occurred in June.
A press release from the Dent County Prosecutor’s Office states that on June 8 deputies of the Dent County Sheriff’s Office responded to County Road 5140 in Dent County in connection to a complaint from Bryan Smith that he had been attacked and bitten by a large pitbull dog belonging to Jeannie Bates.
The attack occurred when the dog escaped a fenced enclosure through an open/unsecured gate and traveled onto property owned and possessed by Smith. The attack resulted in serious injury to Smith that required 14 stitches administered by local medical personnel.
The Dent County Sheriff’s Office seized the animal pursuant to RSMo 578.024 and on June 9 and provided a Notice of Disposal letter to Bates. In the Notice of Disposal letter, the sheriff’s office informed Bates of its intent to euthanize the domestic animal as a result of the incident on June 8 as required by Missouri law.
Prosecutor Andrew M. Curley represented the Dent County Sheriff’s Office during the July 14 trial.
Curley presented witness testimony and evidence, which included evidence the dog previously showed aggression towards others, repeatedly escaped his fenced enclosure and that the attack occurred after the dog had escaped his enclosure and traveled onto private property owned by Smith.
At the conclusion of the trial, Fox found the testimony of the witnesses to be credible and additionally determined that the dog, Bronx, attacked the victim without provocation, that the victim suffered serious injury, and ordered the sheriff’s office to expeditiously euthanize the dog in a humane manner.
On Aug. 18, the dog was humanely euthanized as required by Missouri statute.
The release concludes that Prosecutor Curley indicated RSMo 578.024 requires that, if any dog that has not previously bitten a person, attacks and causes serious injury to or the death of any human, the dog shall be seized immediately by an animal control authority or by the county sheriff and thereafter humanely destroyed.
“There was no evidence this dog had previously bitten another person, so no criminal charges under 578.024 were filed as a result,” the release states. “No one involved in this case is celebrating this animal being euthanized. We are all empathetic to the fact that this animal was deeply loved by his family. A local resident was attacked at his home and seriously injured by this animal. It is the responsibility of every pet owner to maintain and control their animal so that it doesn’t harm the person or property of another.”
