A total of 14 charges were filed against the dog owner.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced criminal charges against a man whose dogs reportedly attacked a young boy in North Linden earlier this month.
Klein said the Columbus Division of Police filed four counts of animal at large under city code, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Animal control filed three counts of failure to register, two counts of failure to confine, two counts of failure to vaccinate, two counts of failure to confine a dangerous dog and one count of failure to register a dangerous dog.
10TV is not naming the dog owner due to the charges being misdemeanors.
“The tragic attack on a child is horrific, and my heart goes out to the family as they begin the long road to recovery and healing. But this tragic event was entirely preventable. A child is needlessly suffering and fighting for his life because the defendant failed to take the required steps to secure his dangerous animals. That is inexcusable, and my office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent possible,” Klein said.
Klein added that he echoed the call of Columbus residents who want strong laws that increase the penalties for dog owners in situations like this.
“If you knowingly own a dangerous animal and it attacks someone, you should be held accountable every time, and our laws need to reflect that,” he said.
The dog attack happened on March 2 in the 3500 block of Hiawatha Street.
Sgt. Joseph Albert said a boy under the age of 10 was transported to a local hospital in “extremely critical condition” by one of the responding officers after being attacked by two dogs. He was upgraded to stable the following day.
Albert said one of the officers shot both of the dogs. One dog was fatally shot and the other was taken into possession by animal control.
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