Dog attacks,
three injured
By CARL E. HARTDEGEN
Staff Writer
WESTFIELD – A city toddler and her babysitter were sent to hospital Friday after one of the babysitter’s dogs attacked her while she was holding the child.
City police report that a neighbor called at 11:17 a.m. Friday to report that a woman was being attacked by her dog. Officer Kerry Paton, when he arrived less than two minutes later, reports he found the pit bull-dog still had a grip on the woman’s inner thigh.
Paton, who was formerly the city’s K-9 officer, responded immediately by pinning the dog to the floor and forcing it to release the woman.
Paton said he was bitten in the process but the puncture wound on his left forearm was not serious. He said that paramedics treated the injury at the scene and he remained on duty.
The dog attacked the woman when she opened the bedroom door to let it out of the room, Paton said.
Police report both the dog’s owner, Tammy J. Bienvenue, 48, of 28 Maple St., and her two-year-old charge were transported to Noble Hospital by Westfield Fire Department ambulance. The child had injuries to her hand and arm while the woman reportedly suffered severe lacerations to her inner thigh.
A hospital spokesperson said that Bienvenue was treated and released while the girl was treated and transferred. A spokesperson at Baystate Medical Center reported that the girl was admitted and subsequently discharged.
Paton reported that Bienvenue has owned the seven-year-old dog, named ‘Dozer’, all its life.
Frazer said that he took custody of the dog which he said was not licensed nor were its inoculations current.
He said that he will bring the incident to the attention of Police Chief John Camerota who is the city official authorized to decide what to do with dogs deemed to be dangerous.
Camerota said that his options are to order that the dog be destroyed, relocated outside of the city or required to be muzzled when it is in public.
He said that, in his 12 year tenure as chief, he has been required to determine the fate of only a few dogs.
He said that the last time was “probably more than a year ago” and said that he has never had to order a dog be euthanized.
“I’ve never had to do that” he said and explained that some dogs which cannot live in a city environment can be spared if they are moved to a more rural home.
However, Camerota reported last night that the family had surrendered the dog and would make no objection to its destruction which, he said, will be accomplished promptly.
Carl E. Hartdegen can be reached at [email protected]
