Woman attacked by dogs
Victim wants county vicious dog law
Pauletta Johnson of 125 Gum Springs Road Cutoff, east of Hartselle, sustained bite wounds on a hand and a leg when she was attacked by two large dogs on her back porch early Saturday morning.
She was taken by ambulance to the emergency room where she received treatment for her wounds and was released.
Johnson said she was attacked by a pit bull and a Labrador retriever when she opened her back door at about 6:30 a.m. Her small pet dog was also attacked, but it apparently escaped without serious injury.
“One of the dogs knocked me down and I was helpless,” she said. “All I could do was holler for help and kick at them with my feet. “One of them had my hand in his mouth and the other one was biting my leg.”
Jesse Masters said he was sitting on the edge of his bed dressing when he heard Johnson call to him for help.
“They were all over her and the only thing I had to fight them off was my feet and fists,” Masters said. “Fortunately, they backed off and we were able to get back in the house and call 911.”
Subsequently, a sheriff’s department investigator and two ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
The dogs were on my porch and I was a sitting duck when I opened the door,” Johnson stated. “It was a frightening experience to have them lunging at me and biting me. It’s something I’d never want anyone else have to go through. And that’s why I want to see our county officials pass a law that will give protection to people against vicious dogs.
While the dogs were placed under a 10-day quarantine by their owners and provision was made to take care of the medical expenses that were incurred, both Johnson and Masters said they’ll be afraid to go outside of their house when the dogs return.
Morgan County Sheriff’s Investigator Pete Taylor said the only protection rural residents have against dangerous dogs on the loose is a leash law, which is enforced by personnel of the Morgan County Animal Shelter in Hartselle. Both Hartselle and Decatur offer protection under the provisions of leash and vicious dog ordinances.
