Washington County sheriff apologizes for response after Fayetteville man attacked by dog

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder apologized on Friday for a perceived "lack of confidence" from residents after a Fayetteville man posted on social media his account of being mauled by a dog near Hogeye and the lackluster response from deputies.

The department said on Facebook it wanted to remedy situation after receiving a flurry of inquiries about its procedure for handling dog bites in rural Washington County

"We apologize for the lack of confidence in our department that this incident has potentially caused, but we can assure you, we will always strive to do the right thing, to do our best for the citizens of Washington County, and when we err, we will admit it and use it as a tool to make ourselves better," Helder said in a statement. "We will also begin, once again, an effort to work with members of the Quorum Court to tighten up ordinances that will support animal owners and protect citizens from unwarranted attacks."

Richard Holt, a pharmacist at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville and competitive cyclist, said he and a friend were riding Wednesday along Arkansas 265 when a pit bull attacked Holt, severely injuring his legs.

Holt said the pair didn't antagonize the dog before it ran into his bike and knocked him over.

"It started to shake my leg, I hit the dog and got my hands on its muzzle. I managed to pry his jaws open long enough to escape," Holt said. "I was laying on the double yellow line trying to stop the bleeding."

Holt posted photos to his Facebook account showing a deep gash on one of his legs just above his foot, along with several bite marks near his calf. Another photo showed pools of blood on a highway shoulder.

Holt said he's unsure if any ligaments were torn during the attack, but added he won't be cycling for about a month. He also won't be able to compete in an upcoming race in Little Rock he expected to win.

The dog owners offered little reprieve to Holt, initially refused to give an address when 911 was called and tried to hide the dog before authorities arrived, Holt said.

After seeing pictures of Holt's injuries, the Sheriff's Office said it understood residents' complaints the department didn't adequately respond to the call.

"We answer many 'animal complaint' calls every day without any issues, but when something like this happens, it causes us to review ... our policies to make sure we are following the law, that we have the proper policies in place and that we are taking care of the citizens of Washington County in the best way possible," according to the statement. "And that is exactly what has happened and is happening in this case."

According to the Sheriff's Office, the animal control officer determined Holt was bitten, issued a warning for violating the vicious animal ordinance and required the dog owner to secure the dog, determine whether the animal was rabid and procure a rabies vaccine if necessary.

However, Helder determined Friday the dog owner should have been cited. The owners have since been issued three citations for violating the Rabies Control Act and one citation for violating the Vicious Animal Ordinance, the Sheriff's Office said, and animal control officers will continue to monitor the location.

Washington County doesn't have a law requiring animals to be restrained. Dogs are allowed to run at large and aren't required to be contained, the Sheriff's Office said. The lacking legal framework complicates the issues for deputies responding to animal complaints in the county, the Sheriff's Office said.

On Facebook, Holt implored residents to report animal attacks to the Sheriff's Office. Holt said he also looks forward to working with the Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks and Helder to "readdress some of these unclear and outdated codes."

NW News on 02/20/2016

Upcoming Events