The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

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May 2, 2007

Charges prepared in dog-bite incident

By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

Charges were being prepared Wednesday to be filed against a Joplin man whose dog, described as a pit bull-mastiff mix, attacked a 6-year-old boy last week.

Dan Pekarek, Joplin health director, said his department is submitting information to the city prosecutor’s office for charges against a man who lives in the 1800 block of South Harlem Avenue.

A dog owned by the 41-year-old man attacked Allen S. Hallock while he was riding his scooter Friday in the 1800 block of South Harlem Avenue, authorities said. The boy, son of Crystal Hallock, 1912 S. Murphy Ave., was bitten several times on the leg, and was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center for stitches and other treatment.

Pekarek said the health department was submitting information for charges alleging that the man owned a dangerous dog and allowed the dog to run at large.

“These are standard charges in a dog-bite situation like this, and it’s up to the prosecutor whether they’ll will be filed,” he said. “The most severe penalty for violating the two ordinances is for the dog to be surrendered and euthanized, and the owner has already given up the dog.”

The owner surrendered the dog when it was picked up by animal-control officers, Pekarek said. The dog will not be killed until it completes a 10-day quarantine at the Joplin Humane Society.

“We don’t suspect rabies, but the quarantine is a requirement under our ordinance and state law,” Pekarek said.

The boy told police that after he was attacked, a man pulled the dog off him. The boy suffered a number of deep bites to the front and back of his leg, police said.





Unrelated charges



Dan Pekarek, city health department director, said unrelated charges also are expected to be filed alleging failure to license and vaccinate another animal that was found on the man’s property when officers went to pick up the dog.

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