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MEDIA RELEASE: Dog Attack Puts Adams County Sheriff’s Department in Conflict with Courts

MEDIA RELEASE: Dog Attack Puts Adams County Sheriff’s Department in Conflict with Courts

In Defense of Animals Supports Sheriff’s Dept to Seek Justice for Special Needs Child & Dog Used to Attack Him

Natchez, MS (December 11, 2019) – In Defense of Animals, the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Grenada, Mississippi, and Justice for Animals Campaign in Winona, is standing beside the Adams County Sheriff’s Department in seeking charges against a juvenile who sicced his dog on a neighborhood boy with special needs. 

The Sheriff’s Department is fighting to retain custody of the dog, Chloe, who was agitated and forced into the attack. In 2017, In Defense of Animals awarded Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten a Humanitarian award for his and his officers’ commitment to making Adams County a safer place for humans and animals.

On September 30, 2019, a 9-year-old boy with special needs was walking to the home of his night caregiver in the neighborhood. A 15-year-old boy, accompanied by his friend, took his dog Chloe by the chain to harass the younger boy. The older youth sicced his dog on the 9-year-old boy, who sustained bite wounds and was taken to the ER by his mother, Valencia Minor.

The incident came to the attention of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department on October 4, 2019. Dogs who have bitten humans in Adams County must be impounded for ten days. In this case, the dog was seized as evidence without a seizure order for “Exigent Circumstances.” Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten prudently ordered for the immediate removal of the dog from the custody of Tamara Washington, mother of the youth accused of the attack. 

On October 21 and 22, Deputy Karen Ewing, Adams County Sheriff’s Department representative in animal-related cases, attempted to gain a signed motion for a hearing on the custody of the dog. Under Mississippi State Statute § 97-41-2. Seizure of mistreated animal, any dog used as a weapon who could cause harm to a victim and also endanger the safety of the animal becomes property of the jurisdiction if the dog’s guardian does not seek a hearing or does not post bond for the care of the dog during the hearing process. 

County Court Judge Walt Brown denied the motion saying that the case was to be heard by Juvenile Court on October 29. In a shocking revelation, Deputy Ewing was informed that Juvenile Court Prosecutor Zack Jex dismissed the case and instructed Tamara Washington to get her son’s dog back from the Sheriff’s Department. Valencia Minor, the mother of the victim of the sadistic attack, advised Deputy Ewing that she had heard nothing from juvenile court. Minor stated that if the dog were returned to their neighborhood, she would kill the dog herself to protect her son. 

On November 14, Deputy Ewing approached Justice Court Judge Eileen Maher for a motion hearing. The next day, Judge Maher informed Deputy Ewing that she would not sign a motion hearing because she wasn’t sure that the county animal ordinance was legal.

“As it stands, the Adams County Sheriff’s Department is being asked to return a dog to the mother of a juvenile who clearly intended to harm a younger boy with special needs by siccing the dog on the boy. This entire affair is a travesty for the injured boy, the dog, and our justice system,” said Doll Stanley, Director of In Defense of Animals’ Justice for Animals Campaign. “The juvenile who sicced his dog on another youth should have been prosecuted for aggravated assault, and Chloe, the dog so vilely used in the attack, should be allowed to remain in the custody of Deputy Ewing under the auspices of the Adams County Sheriff’s Department.”

In Defense of Animals works with officials and citizens of communities across Mississippi to help resolve recurring animal protection issues including the revision and establishment of sound ordinances.

 

In February of 2020, In Defense of Animals will have served in Mississippi for 27 years.

 

Contact: Doll Stanley, doll@idausa.org, (662) 809-4483 

 

Image: Chloe, courtesy of Adams County Sheriff’s Department http://bit.ly/ChloeDog

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