GreeneStreets

View Original

Two people bitten by unvaccinated dog

Police report that an unvaccinated dog has now bitten two different people in two separate incidents and that the owner of the dog has failed to get the dog vaccinated as required by law.

A criminal case has been filed against Aaron Wayne Evans, 24, Linton, on a charge of harboring a non-immunized dog, a Class B misdemeanor.

According to Linton Police Chief Paul Clark, in mid-May, a Linton resident reported to the Linton Police Department her teenage daughter was attacked and bitten by a grey and white dog while her daughter was walking across the street. The daughter was taken to Greene County General Hospital where she was treated for puncture wounds to her middle back.

LPD Officer Alan Jackson was able to identify the owner of the dog as Aaron Evans who allegedly told Officer Jackson that he didn't have any vaccination records for the dog because he had gotten it from a farmer. Evans was informed about the quarantine guidelines that are required after an animal bite. He was also informed that Linton Animal Control would be following up with him regarding a vaccination record.

The next day, LPD Animal Control Officer (ACO) Ron Lehman followed up both with the resident and with Evans. Evans was given a copy of the 10-day quarantine procedures and again ask for vaccination records which Evans did not have.

A few days later LPD ACO Lehman talked to Evans again to see if he could provide proof of vaccination for the dog and Evans failed to do so. Evans was told to bring proof of vaccination to the police station by the end of the day.

Then in late May, ACO Lehman received another report of a bite by the dog owned by Evans, this time from Greene County General Hospital. In this incident, the victim said she was bitten four times inside the residence of Evans and the dog, located at 409 I Street NW.

ACO Lehman then informed Evans the dog needed to be quarantined again for 10 days. Evans was provided with quarantine guidelines again and asked if the dog had been vaccinated.  It had not.

On May 31, both ACO Lehman and Chief Clark went to speak with Evans about the immunization status of his dog. At that time, Evans allegedly said the dog was nine or ten months old and that he had owned it for six months. He did not have any record of vaccination for the dog.

At the time the probable cause document was prepared by Chief Clark, Evans had not provided any vaccination records to the LPD and a criminal case was subsequently filed.

A summons has been issued ordering Evans to appear in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing on September 1.