ARLINGTON — The mother of a 5-year-old girl bitten by a German shepherd/pit bull mix on July 22, 2023 wonders why the dog has not yet been euthanized, despite a Select Board order for it in August.
The incident happened when Nicole Morse and her daughter were standing in a driveway visiting a mutual friend along with Brenna Hurley, who had the dog on a leash. Hurley is the daughter of the dog’s owner, Melody Rogers.
The incident occurred on East Arlington Road and all involved live on this road.
“The girl had the dog on a leash and we were standing in the mutual friend’s driveway, and my daughter had reached her hand on the dog and the dog was fine,” Morse said. “I was only about three steps away from where the dog and this girl were standing, and my daughter turned towards me and within seconds the dog grabbed her by her hair and yanked her to the ground and just went after her.”
“The girl had to yank the dog off of her, and she yanked on the dog so hard that it knocked her backwards and she fell on the ground,” Morse said.
“When the dog got her it got her in the face,” she said. “It went after her throat but it got her down by the bottom of her cheek on (the) jawline and ripped her face open. We ended up with eight stitches in her face.”
Doctors told her to give the healing process about six months to determine whether the child will need plastic surgery.
Morse reported the incident to the Vermont State Police and provided the town with the police report, medical records and photographs.
After an Aug. 7 hearing on the matter, the Select Board signed and issued an order that the dog be destroyed within 30 days. Failure to comply subjects the owner to penalties under Vermont law. By the same statute, the owner had 30 days from receipt of the order to file an appeal with the Civil Division of Superior Court.
Contacted Wednesday, Arlington Town Administrator Nick Zaiac said the matter is in the courts and the town’s attorney is working on it.
Morse said her daughter is afraid to play in her yard because of the proximity of the dog across the street and has developed a fear of dogs in general.
The order recounts Rogers’ testimony at the dog hearing. She admits she was not present at the attack but maintained – based on her daughter’s recounting of the incident – that the dog, named Elle, was just trying to grab a stick the girl was holding and did not mean to attack the child.
“Ms. Rogers confirmed that she is unable to fence in her yard, but asserts that the dog is either on a leash or accompanied by one of its owners at all times,” the order states. “She acknowledges that the dog is reactive and has bitten a person in the past.”
Two children live with the dog, and she has never hurt either of them. Rogers agreed the dog is protective of her family and should not be around children other than the two who live with the dog, according to the order. She said she would be willing to pay medical costs incurred resulting from the attack.
The dog was overdue for licensing but was vaccinated at the time of the attack.
Arlington Animal Control Officer Robyn Champine said she was notified of the incident by a state trooper and a complete report was sent to the town.
“The dog had attacked another woman’s dog, and has been seen running loose in the vicinity of Shires Housing,” the order states. “Officer Champine characterized the bite as ‘bad’ and expressed concern that children reside with the dog.”
After a deliberative session, the Select Board voted that the dog be put down in a humane way to prevent any danger to the public. The owner was given approval to use her own veterinarian to perform the task.
Morse periodically checks in with Zaiac to check on the status of the matter.
BB“I just don’t understand why it’s taking this long when they’ve given her every ample opportunity to put this dog down,” she said. “And that was the only request she had was that when she puts the dog down, she gets to do it with her vet and she gets to be there.”
