Dogs do not pose threat to public

NORWAY — On October 13, a rescued dog being cared for by Responsible Pet Care bit an employee multiple times on the employee's arms.

According to RPC board member Sally Leighton, the employee was attending to the dog when the incident happened.

The dog, as with all dogs the shelter takes in, had been assessed by one of the shelter's trainer/assessors and although found to have issues, was not considered a threat.

In fact, said Leighton, the dog had been handled by a variety of walkers and caregivers without a problem.

"The employee will be fine," said Leighton, "and intends to return to work."

"We would never have taken the dog if we had known there would be a risk," said Leighton. "The trainer said the dog had some issues but nothing that time and the right adopted family couldn't correct."

However, a recent comment on the Advertiser Democrat Facebook page raises concerns about the location, near Paris Elementary School, of the new shelter that RPC is raising funds to purchase.

Leighton assures the public that plans for an outdoor area include double, extra-high fencing. She also notes that at no time would dogs be outside unattended.

"There will always be someone outside with them when the dogs are out," she said.

"They will be in what is called enclosed outdoor cages," she explained.

"We are sick about what happened and we keep looking back but there simply were no red flags," she said.

Leighton did note that those who care for rescue animals do so with the knowledge that the animals come with no history and that there is a risk involved which is known at the outset.

"In no way do I want to [lessen] what happened by saying it is part of the job," said Leighton, "but we do realize people could get bitten."

Leighton declined to identify the employee citing RPC's respect for the employee's right to privacy. She lamented that because RPC was protecting the employee's privacy and would not discuss the incident with the general public, that rumors had been flying fast and furious and, she said, "snowballing."

The dog was put down immediately.