Colorado Dog Owner Must Pay $1200 Or Dogs Could Be Euthanized

A dog owner in Colorado Springs, Colorado has to pay $1,200 to the Humane Society or her dogs will be put down.

Dawn Last said animal control took her dogs, a Boxer mix named Patches and an American Bulldog named Likor, after they bit a solicitor.

Last said she has one sign that says “No Soliciting” and two signs that say “Beware of Dogs,” but a young girl selling candy came into the yard and rang the bell.

The dogs broke through the storm door, ran after the girl and bit her, said Last.

Last said there was no blood, but that she did offer to call a doctor or adult. The girl told her no.

The Humane Society said the girl was bit on the wrist and the back of the leg and needed medical attention.

Last said animal control picked up the dogs and gave her a citation.

Her court date is July 5, but she has to pay $1,200 by June 15 or the dogs will be put down.

“I work hard, but I don’t make that kind of money,” Last said.

Jan McHugh-Smith, president of the Humane Society of Colorado’s Pikes Peak Region, said the owners have to pay in advance what they call “bonding” in order to prevent the dogs from being put down. The money goes toward kenneling costs and testing for rabies.

Both dogs have prior bite incidents, according to McHugh-Smith. One was a severe bite to a child and the other incident was handled by the Sheriff’s Office.

“We took full responsibility, paid the fines and made the mandatory adjustments. And now, we’ve hung the signs and we’re being punished because someone came into our yard anyway,” Last said.

Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Pugs2191
Pugs2191
12 years ago

She should sue the girl’s family for trespassing!! This is ridiculous.

Ecf216
Ecf216
12 years ago
Reply to  Pugs2191

And where were this girl’s parents?

Wow101
Wow101
12 years ago
Reply to  Pugs2191

What if the girl was going up to the door to let the lady know she left her car lights on?
The fact that the girl was selling candy has nothing to do with the situation. It’s the fact that the owner could properly control the dog is why the girl got bit. 

Brayth
Brayth
12 years ago

i agree with pugs2191.  Doesn’t the girl know how to read?  It’s ridiculous that they’re charging her a ‘bond’ to keep her dogs in their care and to test them for rabies??? They can’t test for rabies unless they kill the dogs and send off a piece of their brain to be tested.  They’re in quarantine is what’s happening and instead of letting them be quarantined in her home, they’ve decided to charge her for it.  Ridiculous,and they wonder why people don’t rush to the humane society when they need help.

Katinka0801
Katinka0801
12 years ago
Reply to  Brayth

Slight correction…they have to send the entire head off to test for rabies. Also, by law, the animal can only be quarantined at a veterinary hospital/clinic or with animal control/hunane society. I do agree that the girls parents are at fault as well as the dogs owners. Security doors would have been wise NO child should go alone to any strangers home alone. It is sad the dogs will be punished for the sins on both sides.

Www Westiechick2
Www Westiechick2
12 years ago

very disapointet i n humane sociiety

Francine
Francine
12 years ago

If I was the owner of dogs that had prior bite records, I would have put up a “do not enter” sign……and a “no trespassing” sign…and a lock on the gate….I don’t know how old the girl was that entered her yard, but maybe she didn’t know what ” no soliciting” meant……I would have covered my butt big time….not all dogs like kids…hell…not all people like kids…

Manhandler_1
Manhandler_1
12 years ago

I feel the girl should be held responsible not the dog the signs were put in clear sight and she should have never entered the premises. We have a right to have our pets we pay a fee to license them take them to the vet for all shots why do we have to be penalized for some person who can’t read let the dogs go to their owner. We pay enough for our friends why be punished for more. Nancy Peters Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania I have 2 dogs they are my family not my pets.

Linda
Linda
12 years ago

Before allowing your child to hit the streets selling candy, be sure they know how to read No Soliciting. Some of us have dogs and some of us just do not want to be disturbed…..please repsect our property and privacy. That being said, it is a pity the child was bit and very sad that these dogs may be put to sleep over it.

Jake05
Jake05
12 years ago

Im sorry but owner of Dogs have to be in control of their dogs at ALL times. ” The dogs broke through the screen door” ” the dogs have a history of biting” …these do not sound like animals that are in control or responsible dog owners. The responsibility shouldn’t be put a school girl selling candy!! Apparently these dogs weren’t vaccinated either…but that’s probably the little girls fault too.

Trisha Jollimore
12 years ago

Ok, this is BS!!  The girl was trespassing.  I don’t care if it’s a child or not.  If she was selling Candy, her parents should have been with her. The fact that the person had 2 signs up and they took her dogs should be illegal.  I would sue the asses off of animal control. What can the little girl not read or understand what the signs say? If not, once again, where are the parents?!?

VICKI FOGG
VICKI FOGG
12 years ago

THAT,S BULLSHIT!IF THERE WAS NO BLOOD THEN WHY WOULD YOU NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION.THE OWNER OF THE DOGS I THINK DID RIGHT.THE ONLY THING I SEE HERE IS SHE HAD A BEWARE OF DOGS SIGN POSTED.WHICH WOULD SEEM TO BE PROTECTING YOUR OWN ASS IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN INVOLVING THE DOGS.BUT IT,S NOT TO THE LAW YOUR ADMITTING TO HAVING A VICIOUS ANIMAL ON YOUR PROPERTY.IT,S A BUNCH OF BULLSHIT I KNOW AND I HOPE IT WORKS OUT THE LADY AND HER DOGS

Dog Lover
Dog Lover
12 years ago

She needs an animal rights lawyer to step in immediately and bar the shelter from euthanizing the dogs, after all…aren’t the dogs “evidence”??????  Next, she needs to countersue the girl for trespassing. Granted, the girl is young and probably wasn’t aware of what she was doing but a countersuit might also buy some time for the dogs until they can get the case dismissed.

It is unfortunate for the girl, but I bet she won’t make the mistake again. Absolutely her parents should have been with her. Do they realize how fortunate it is that she was only bitten by a couple of dogs rather than something really scary as a results of knocking on the door of some human predator?

And as unfortunate as it was for the girl and her family, this woman and her dogs were in the privacy of their own home minding their own business. The signs were in plain view and the girl is at fault. The dogs were in protective mode. Maybe the owner is negligent of not having a strong enough barrier in such an event, but jeez, that doesn’t equal “kill her dogs”.

I have “no soliciting” signs on my doors and idiots STILL come and knock. They think it applies to everyone except them.  Paws crossed that someone in authority gets their brain cells to turn back on and reverses the fine and let these dogs go back home…..NOW!

Kris Owen
12 years ago

If the kid was dumb enough not to read the signs that said ‘beware of dogs’ and ‘no soliciting,’ went into their yard anyhow..TO SOLICIT, and got bit…Well…TOO BAD..good lesson for her. Read, obey signs, and don’t solicit! LOL

Kris Owen
12 years ago

If the kid was dumb enough not to read the signs that said ‘beware of dogs’ and ‘no soliciting,’ went into their yard anyhow..TO SOLICIT, and got bit…Well…TOO BAD..good lesson for her. Read, obey signs, and don’t solicit! LOL

SUBSCRIBE TO
DOG FILES

Top Posts

More Articles...

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

Why haven't You Signed up For our Newsletter?

Find out why over 8000 Dog lovers have already Joined!

Receive our newsletter, get special deals & stay updated.