A June 29 attack on two dogs, an owner and a neighbor at two residences in a neighborhood off Banks Road near north Fayetteville by two Argentinian mastiffs resulted in the shooting of one of the dogs by a deputy being attacked and the quarantine of the second mastiff.
Now that second mastiff has been euthanized after the owner decided not to undergo the strict liability requirements to keep the dog.
Shaune Hall, the owner of the Argentinian mastiffs responsible for the attacks, has been cited on two counts of restraint of an animal and will appear in court in September. Hall was also cited for an unrestrained dog in September 2017, according to Fayette County Animal Control Director Jerry Collins.
The two back-to-back dog attacks by two Argentinian mastiffs during the morning hours of June 29 in a neighborhood off Banks Road resulted in two dogs and two adults injured, and one of the attacking dogs shot and killed by a deputy being charged by one of the dogs. The other dog was put under a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
Collins on July 19 said the quarantined mastiff, designated as a “dangerous dog” was euthanized after Hall did not fight the dog being categorized in that manner. Hall subsequently declined to take custody of the animal, Collins said.
Collins said that Hall’s decision might have been due to the owner not wanting the liability that comes with owning a “dangerous dog.”
Collins said the “dangerous dog” label requires a $50,000 liability policy, the installation of a secure enclosure and the stipulation that the dog be muzzled full-time. Collins noted that a dangerous dog is not likely to be adopted, given the requirements.
A trip to Hall’s residence on June 29 revealed four dog houses, though the more recent visit revealed the presence of one dog, said Collins. He said officers did not go inside the house given that a search warrant would have been needed, adding that there was insufficient probable cause to request a warrant.
Sheriff Barry Babb said deputies received a call on June 29 at approximately 9:26 a.m. about two white and cream colored dogs running loose. The dogs were said to have attacked a dog on a front porch on Smokemont Drive, then another dog and its owner on Sugarland Trail while the woman was walking her dog. An area resident was reported to have broken up the fights, Babb said.
Arriving at the scene, the investigation led deputies and an animal control unit to 165 Sugarland Trail, said Babb.
Deputies walked around the house and came across two large dogs near the fence, one of which appeared to be the same dog on a video taken by a neighbor. One of the deputies yelled to the other deputy and, at that point, one of the dogs locked its gaze and charged in attack mode, growling and barking and bearing its teeth, said Babb.
The deputy moved toward the street to gain a reactionary distance, Babb explained, then drew his weapon. The deputy discharged three rounds into the oncoming dog until the threat ceased. Babb noted that animal control witnessed the attack and provided a statement.
Babb said the second dog was captured without incident.
Neighborhood resident Tommy Lee, age 76, saw the first incident where the mastiffs were attacking a dog tied on its front porch. Lee used a golf club shaft the thwart the attack, which resulted in the mastiffs turning on and injuring him.
Lee followed the mastiffs in his truck when the dogs left the house. He found them attacking neighbor Krista Hinkle and her Yorkshire terrier, Harley. The mastiffs broke off the attack on the Yorkie and, again, went after Lee.
Ed and Krista Hinkle after the incident said Lee is a hero and should be recognized by the county for his role in placing himself at risk to save others.
