photo sumbitted
Charles Darwin, left, shown with his ‘brother’ Charles Dickens, was seriously injured last week in an incident with a pit bull. LaGrange police still are looking for the pit bull’s owner after an officer was forced to shoot the dog to stop the attack.
Charles Darwin, left, shown with his ‘brother’ Charles Dickens, was seriously injured last week in an incident with a pit bull. LaGrange police still are looking for the pit bull’s owner after an officer was forced to shoot the dog to stop the attack.
Police say the dog was a black and white pit bull that was seen running at large in the area of College Avenue and Ridge Streets.
Darwin, the dog injured in the attacked, returned home early this week after being treated at a local veterinarian’s office.
Darwin’s owners David Garrison and his wife, Donna Barger, were walking Darwin and another beagle, Dickens on Thursday morning when the pit bull approached the foursome.
“Without provocation, he jumped on Darwin and pinned him to the ground,” said Garrison on Friday, who is provost of LaGrange College and an English professor.
LaGrange police officer Wesley Engle was nearby and saw the incident, along with another neighbor in the area. Garrison, Engle and the third man kicked the pit bull but couldn’t get the dog off Darwin.
Engle hit the pit bull with his club and used his Taser before being forced to shoot the dog, which was killed. The dog didn’t have identification or a collar.
Darwin had internal injures and needed stitches on his hind leg. He was allowed to go home Tuesday and is still healing from drainage around his neck, so he hasn’t been on long walks yet.
“Charles Darwin returned home Tuesday evening, after five days in the hospital,” Garrison said Thursday. “He suffered serious bruising on his back and hip, as well as a laceration in his right hind leg. But the most serious damage was to the right side of his chest and neck - multiple puncture wounds and significant damage to the tissue inside of his chest. During this stay in the hospital, this area had to be drained to remove internal bleeding and other matter. He is now eating well (including vegetarian lasagna) and sleeping well. His brother Charles Dickens is happy to have him home.”
Police are looking to charge the pit bull’s owner with having a dog running at large and having a dangerous dog under its animal control ordinances.
In 2006, the LaGrange City Council approved an ordinance dealing with pit bull dogs. The ordinance requires all pit bulls in the city to be registered through the city of LaGrange Animal Control. As part of the registration process, owners are required to show proof of liability insurance or surety bond in the amount of at least $50,000 for each dog. Owners also are required to show proof of inoculation.
All pit bulls over the age of 4 months are required to be spayed or neutered. Additionally, the location where the dog will be housed must be inspected and approved by a member of the LaGrange Animal Control prior to the registration being approved.
Any unlicensed pit bull found within the city may be seized and impounded at the city animal shelter and retained for ten days, during which time the owner may claim the animal upon proof of compliance with the city ordinance.
• Anyone with information on the owner of the dog is asked to contact LaGrange police at 706-883-2603 or Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000 or text anonymous tips to 847411, keyword LAGRANGE. Tips may also be submitted online at www.lagrangega.org or www.facebook.com/lagrange.police.
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