John T. Dunn of Streetsboro, Ohio faces multiple charges including two felonies for the July 15, 2011 dog attack on an elderly Rootstown, Ohio woman and her cocker spaniel. Dunn was charged with allowing his two pit bulls run free unleashed. He also failed to insure his pit bulls which are considered “vicious” under Ohio law.
Seventy-year-old Marie Hustead was bitten multiple times by Dunn’s pit bulls while trying to protect her cocker spaniel. Her wounded cocker spaniel had to be euthanized. Dunn agreed to the prosecutor’s request of surrendering the two pit bulls. Dunn was also ordered to pay care and upkeep costs for the dogs while at the dog pound.
Ohio’s Definition of Vicious Dog:
“Vicious dog” means a dog that, without provocation and subject to division (A)(4)(b) of this section, meets any of the following:
- Has killed or caused serious injury to any person;
- Has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person, or has killed another dog.
- Belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog. The ownership, keeping, or harboring of such a breed of dog shall be prima-facie evidence of the ownership, keeping, or harboring of a vicious dog.
This story is a follow up to: Pit bulls attack woman and kill cocker spaniel