| For Immediate Release Case # TBA November 19, 2007 |
Contact: Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 |
PIT BULL OWNER CHARGED FOR ALLOWING
VICIOUS DOG TO ATTACK MAILMAN
WESTMINSTER – A Westminster dog owner with a history of keeping aggressive dogs has been charged with allowing her Pitbull to violently attack a mail man who was delivering mail to a neighbor’s home. Sheri Moody, 54, is charged with one felony count of allowing a vicious animal at large to cause serious bodily injury. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Moody is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, December 7, 2007 at the West Justice Center in Westminster.
On January 19, 2007, an acquaintance of Moody, Brittany, 23, went to visit Moody with her mother. Moody had her three dogs, Dog #2 (Pitbull/Sheppard mix), Dog #1 (Pitbull), and Dog #3 (Australian Sheppard), inside her home, and opened the bedroom door where the dogs were being kept. All three dogs came out of the room and began barking at Brittany, and Dog #2 lunged at her face, causing severe injury. While Dog #2 was the primary aggressor and bit the victim, Dog #1 also lunged at the girl. As a result of the attack, Brittany required multiple sutures and corrective cosmetic surgery to fix damage to her lip.
Pursuant to Food and Agriculture Code Sections 31601 et seq., a hearing was held in which a court deemed Dog #2 a vicious dog and ordered him destroyed. Moody insisted that Dog #2 was not a vicious dog and protested the order to destroy him. The court also expressed concern for Dog #1, which experts found dangerous and in need of obedience training to make her safe. Moody failed to participate in and recommended training courses. Moody also built kennels for the safekeeping of the dogs in her back yard, but is accused of failing to keep Dog #1 in these kennels.
On September 4, 2007, Moody is accused of failing to keep Dog #1 and Dog #3 safely away from the public, despite her knowledge of the danger they posed from the recent attack on Brittany. Moody is accused of not securing the dogs on her property, and Dog #1 and Dog #3 were able to escape and enter the neighbor’s fenced yard. While out of Moody’s home, Dog #1 attacked the mailman as he delivered mail to Moody’s neighbor. Dog #1 jumped at the victim’s face and knocked the victim down. The victim suffered a severe laceration to his face and injury to his left eye, and may require reconstructive surgery to repair the damage.
Deputy District Attorney Raymund Diaz is prosecuting this case.
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