The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

October 11, 2008

Woman files suit claiming dog mauled her

By Christian Giggenbach

LEWISBURG — An elderly Greenbrier County woman has filed a civil suit against a father and son alleging she was seriously injured after being “attacked and mauled” by two of their unvaccinated dogs.

Mary L. George, 89, of Frankford, named Milton Renick and his son, John T. Renick, as co-defendants in the lawsuit filed by Lewisburg lawyer Bill Turner.

George alleges the two dogs, “appearing to be part or all Australian shepherds,” attacked her last winter while she “was in a storage shed on her own property” on Coleman Cliff Road.

“ ... prior to the attack, the dogs had been turned loose and allowed to run free off John T. Renick’s property by Milton Renick,” the suit said. “On Feb. 28, 2008, John T. Renick’s dogs were running at large, not kept indoors, tethered or otherwise enclosed or restrained ...”

George alleges the Renicks knew the dogs were dangerous, in part, because the animals “had been known to snarl at and/or menace other members of plaintiff’s family,” the suit said. The suit claims the Renicks violated state and county leash laws, including “harboring” vicious dogs.

During the attack, George was bitten on both legs and had a large section of her calf torn, Turner said. The attack ended after the two dogs suddenly ran away.

“Mrs. George suffered puncture wounds and extensive gashes from the two dogs,” Turner said.

The Renicks have retained Beckley lawyer Mary Beth Chapman. Chapman did not immediately return a phone message late Friday.

George is seeking unspecified monetary damages as compensation for her injuries, medical expenses and her “uncertainty and fear from not knowing whether the dogs carry any fearsome disease because the dogs were not vaccinated properly.”

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com

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