Documentation and reporting the incident is crucial following a dog attack, regardless of severity, according to one attorney.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A 68-year-old woman is recovering in the hospital after being attacked by a dog while walking to work near Northeast 7th and Broadway on March 27 in Portland.
The woman has now undergone three surgeries after her leg was severely injured in the attack, by what Multnomah County said was a pit bull.
The victim, Javonnie Johnson, claims that the dog was owned by a homeless person.
Her daughter, LaShunda Johnson, expressed her relief over her mother’s survival in an interview on Wednesday, saying she was just happy her mother was alive.
The Portland Police Bureau stated in their incident report that a friend of the dog’s owner intervened to stop the attack. Upon arriving at the scene, officers requested the assistance of Multnomah County Animal Services, who seized the dog.
Attorney Alexander Cambier, with Kafoury and McDougal, outlined the steps for those who find themselves in similar situations.
“Best thing to do, obviously, is after getting the help and calling the police, is to get a picture of the dog, get a picture of the dog’s owner, try to identify if there’s any witnesses on the scene that saw the attack, and get that information,” Cambier advised.
“There is a criminal statute here in Oregon that makes it a violation, possibly a crime, to maintain a dangerous dog. So it could be a Class A misdemeanor, or if the injury is serious enough, can even be a felony in Oregon,” he explained.
In cases involving dangerous dogs, Cambier explained that the previous history of the dog is critical.
“Whether you’re looking at a legal recourse that is civil or criminal, it is going to matter the previous history of that dog,” he said. “Essentially, you have to have some evidence that that dog has been dangerous, or that the owner knew that it was dangerous in the past.”
He said the first step in reporting would be to call Multnomah County Animal Services, and inform them, or fill out an animal bite report form to send to them.
Multnomah County officials are considering classifying the dog involved in this incident as a “dangerous dog,” a designation given to dogs that cause serious physical injury or death to a person, or when they are used as a weapon in the commission of a crime.
The county explained in a statement that when a dog is deemed dangerous, its owner will receive a notice of infraction, which can be appealed within 30 days. If the infraction is not appealed, and the suspension of ownership is sought, the dog becomes property of animal services, and it will either be euthanized or relocated to a dangerous animal facility.
However, the county also noted they are not aware of any dangerous dog facilities currently operating in Multnomah County or within the region.
They confirmed the dog is currently still alive and in a 10-day quarantine, and they are still awaiting contact with the dog’s owner in regard to the Notice of Infraction.
Cambier emphasized there may not be much to gain from civil action if the dog’s owner is homeless. “It just doesn’t make logistical sense to spend years on litigation when there are no assets, when there is no insurance to cover the cost of that litigation,” Cambier said.
Instead, it would need to be approached as a criminal matter, and evidence is necessary.
“There needs to be some evidence that the dog was previously dangerous and that the owner was aware that that dog was dangerous,” he said.
“If you do have a scary, aggressive situation with a dog, it’s good to report it so that there is a record that that dog may be dangerous if there’s a future incident,” he said.
As of today, the Portland Police Bureau stated they have not made any arrests in connection with the incident, and they have not confirmed whether the owner was homeless or not.
According to Portland Fire and Rescue, they have responded to 145 animal bite incidents since January 2024.
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