Reynoldsburg prosecutors propose stricter laws to hold dog owners accountable after a brutal dog attack on a 12-year-old girl last summer.
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Prosecutors in Reynoldsburg are introducing new legislation to strengthen the city’s laws when it comes to holding dog owners accountable for dog attacks.
The legislation is inspired by a 12-year-old girl who was brutally attacked by two American Bully dogs last summer.
Assistant City Prosecutor America Andrade introduced the legislation at a city council meeting, with Avery Russell and her family in the audience.
Avery was on a playdate last June when the dogs viciously attacked her, taking her left ear, part of her right ear and putting her in a coma. After five surgeries and months of therapy, Avery said she is starting to feel like her old self again, but she still has a long road ahead of her.
“I think I made a lot of progress. It was hard because it was like really upsetting and scary that this happened, but I’ve been working through it,” Avery said.
The owner of the dogs who attacked her is facing two fourth-degree misdemeanor charges of failing to confine and license a dangerous dog. She faces a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $250 fine.
“Her injuries and what she has been through obviously calls for more,” Andrade said.
The legislation proposes increasing the charges against a dog owner to a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a maximum six-month jail sentence and higher fines. It requires owners to keep dogs on a leash, or under control.
“I think it is important for justice, and I also think it is important to instill on the people of Reynoldsburg the responsibility of having a dog especially a dog that is dangerous,” Andrade said.
Andrade hopes to pass it by the start of summer.
“We hope this change in the law stops future incidents like this. Truly, I hope I will never have to use the new law I am about to pass. I hope that it deters these incidents before it happens,” Andrade said.
Avery is inspiring similar legislation at the state level.
Rep. Meredith Lawson-Rowe (D-Reynoldsburg) has proposed “Avery’s Law,” which she said would change how a “dangerous dog” is defined and hold owners accountable.
“We know there are gaps, and the gaps need to be filled. And, we saw an example of what has happened… these laws haven’t been changed in maybe a decade or more,” she said.
Avery’s Law would increase the possible jail time and fines for dog owners whose dogs attack humans or other animals, require veterinarians and dog owners to report bites and mandates owners of “dangerous dogs” to have liability insurance.
A dog owner who is convicted would be prohibited from owning a “dangerous dog” for three to five years.
The bill is still in its early stages.
Avery called the last year of her life “crazy” and “overwhelming.” She is grateful to be inspiring change.
“I think it’s great, it is a big thing,” she said of the legislation.
Her mom, Drew, hopes it will encourage dog owners to be more responsible and prevent other families from going through the pain that the Russells have been through in the last year.
“She is very positive, very bubbly, but she has her days, and it was to be expected. The nightmares have slowed down, the flashbacks, they stopped, they came back — they come and go but are few and far between now,” Drew said.
While Avery is back to school and the basketball court, it has been a long journey to get to that point and see through the scars to regain her confidence.
“The hardest thing I had to overcome was to be able to look at myself again in the mirror because when I was still in the hospital, I was scared of the way I looked and I wasn’t really sure if that was even me,” Avery said. “It just scared me, so they covered up the mirror and the camera on my phone.”
Avery said her friends visited the hospital and helped her regain confidence in her new reflection.
Now, when she looks in the mirror, she says, “I think I am beautiful, and I always have been.”
Avery has more surgeries to go. She will have her sixth one in August. She is looking forward to getting new ears so she can get them pierced, like they were before the attack.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
