Girl Recovering From Dog Attack
By GABE WELLSThe rottweiler that mauled a 5-year-old girl Saturday in Bethesda was not on a leash, according to village Police Chief Tim Zdanski, who will interview attack witnesses today.
Zdanski said the Barnesville girl who suffered lacerations and bruising to the head, left shoulder and wrist in the attack Saturday afternoon on Judson Street in Bethesda has been released from the hospital. She initially was taken to Barnesville Hospital before being transported to Children's Hospital in Columbus.
The dog was taken to New Horizon Animal Hospital before it was euthanized. Zdanski said no one else was injured in the attack, but the dog's owner also sought treatment at Barnesville Hospital for unspecified reasons.
Zdanski said there is a potential for charges against the dog's owner, but that determination will be made by a Belmont County prosecutor. He said investigators also are working to determine whether the dog had previously attacked people. Zdanski said he does not believe the rottweiler was on a leash at the time of the attack, though law requires dog owners to "have control" of their animals at all times.
"We have to find out if the dog has been vicious before or if this is the first instance," Zdanski said. "It (a potential charge) may simply be not having the animal under control. This week we will meet with everyone involved for details. Once we have those facts, we will present them to the prosecutor for evaluation."
According to Zdanski, the attack was not provoked by the girl. He said he suspects the dog attacked the girl because the animal believed her to be a threat to its owner.
