Dog Bite Sends Johnson City Girl To Hospital
Nate Morabito
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By Nate Morabito
Reporter / WJHL
Published: July 3, 2008
A German Shepherd/Great Dane mix remains quarantined today after biting a nine year-old girl. Washington County, Tennessee, deputies say doctors admitted the child to the hospital Wednesday after the dog attacked her Tuesday night. The dog lived at Denise Anders’ home on the 200 block of Baxter Street in Johnson City.
“He’s not a vicious dog,” Anders said. “He’s never done anything. There’s nobody around here afraid of the dog.”
Deputies say it is still unclear what provoked the dog to attack. The victim’s mother told deputies her child was just bending down to pick up a toy when the dog bit her, but a witness told them a different story.
“The child was down here by herself, sitting on the dog, and had the chain wrapped around the dog’s neck,” Anders said. “If someone’s got me down with a chain wrapped around my neck, I’m going to get defensive.”
Although the girl’s injuries were not life-threatening, doctors recommended surgery, Washington County Deputy Lt. Gary Wiseman said. He met the victim at the hospital. The dog gave her four or five puncture wounds, he said. They included injuries to her ear, face, and neck, Wiseman said.
“It could have been much worse,” Wiseman said. “There could have been a lot of tearing and disfigurement.”
The dog was chained at the time, leading Wiseman to believe the dog felt threatened.
“If you’re outside the circle, you’re probably alright,” Wiseman said. “If you’re inside the circle and he gets mad, you may not be aright.”
For the next week-and-a-half, the dog, named Gilligan, will call the Washington County-Johnson City Animal Shelter home. Animal control will monitor the dog for 10 days to make sure he doesn’t have rabies. Animal control says so far, the dog does not appear to have rabies.
Although the dog’s owner is not facing any criminal charges, animal control cited Denise Anders after learning the dog was overdue for his rabies vaccination. Anders says that is all a misunderstanding. She claims the dog is vaccinated.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( monicas ) on July 18, 2008 at 4:02 pm
You’re right—trespass is a separate issue from “pets as property.” I agree that the child/parent holds some responsibility on the trespass front. No doubt about that. Still, I tire of the argument that dogs are just “property” in the same way that a chair or car is property. They are a special kind of property, as they are sentient, living things. That’s why we have animal welfare laws. Why do we have laws that say it is illegal to starve or beat a dog to death, but still ok to tie it to a tree for 10 years?
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Posted by ( nuff said ) on July 18, 2008 at 11:57 am
Monica, why do you want to starve, torture or fight your pet? Pets ARE property but people I know with pets don’t starve and torture them. We vaccinate our pets to protect them from rabid animals, such as other people’s unvaccinated pets and wild animals. People can be treated for rabies, pets cannot, they must be put down. Anyway, all tounge in cheek aside, you are totally missing the point that Mel24 was making---my land belongs to me, I pay the taxes on it, I take care of it, I decide who walks on my land and if I have a dog inside a fenced lot or chained then neighbors have no business being around my pet, much less wrap a chain around it’s neck and choke it. Makes me wonder just what this mother does to her child to cause the child to do such a thing. Pets have rights too.
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Posted by ( monicas ) on July 17, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Ah, yes “private property rights.” You know, maybe you’re right. Maybe the government should butt of of our private property right to engage in dog fighting, too. What’s wrong with dog fighting anyway? And what about requiring vaccinations and dog licenses? That’s another deep intrusion into our property rights. In fact, given that a dog is merely “property,” i should be allowed to starve, torture or kill that dog in any manner I desire. If I desire to chain up my dog to an old car bumper for 10 years, then the government should darn well butt out. My dog, my property.
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Posted by ( Mel24 ) on July 17, 2008 at 6:28 pm
FREE GILLIGAN NOW!!!!
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Posted by ( Mel24 ) on July 17, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Who’s yard? Who’s Kid? Where was the parent?
The dog was in his own yard. When do politicians stop siezing on every situation to do the wrong thing. Butt out of the private property rights of citizens and stop getting your information from PETA. If you do not know what their agenda is you should learn before citing them as a source of legislation.
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Posted by ( nuff said ) on July 15, 2008 at 12:51 pm
People complain if a dog runs loose, people complain if a dog is chained. I love my dog, I protect him from the neighborhood by having him in a fenced in area. He has shade for summer, a house for winter, food and water,is close enough to the door to come in, and I spend time with him everyday. But he is a pet, not a person. Not only was this 9 year old torturing a pet but she was trespassing on another’s property. And we are suppose to be upset with the pet owner? Pet owners should not let their pets run loose and be a nuisance to the neighborhood. Parents should supervise their children and not let them tresspass and be a nuisance to the neighborhood.
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Posted by ( ladivolfan ) on July 08, 2008 at 6:41 am
Why must people jump to conclusions. No where in the story did it say that the dog is always chained. It only states that the dog was chained at the time. Geez, get facts before you blast someone.
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Posted by ( Latinteacher ) on July 07, 2008 at 1:55 pm
In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bad dog, only bad owners. Why would a person have a dog if he or she keeps him chained outside? Where is the pleasure and the loving relationship which should occur between a dog and his/her master? Dogs give us their unconditional love and loyalty in spite of our warts! Take care of them!!
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Posted by ( kerdan93 ) on July 07, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Chained dog or not. The child(who’s mother was not there with the child) was in someone’s yard unsupervised around a dog that is not her pet. Like the other poster said Where was her mother?
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Posted by ( mrb ) on July 06, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Where was her mother? The mother needs be punished for not watching her child!
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