Dog in viral video of Puyallup attack will be euthanized, officials say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Owners surrendered the dog to Metro Animal Services and requested euthanasia.
- The dog has not been euthanized yet due to a required quarantine period.
- Investigators will recommend charges to the City of Puyallup Prosecutor if warranted.
A dog that allegedly attacked a child in Puyallup last week will be euthanized.
The dog is at Metro Animal Services, which the city of Sumner operates at 1200 39th Ave. SE under a partnership with the city of Puyallup. Carmen Palmer, spokesperson for the city of Sumner, told The News Tribune on Monday that the owners surrendered the dog and asked that it be euthanized.
“We began an investigation and reviewed with the owners all the potential options, which could have ranged from the process of declaring a dog dangerous to seizing the dog for protective custody,” Palmer wrote in an email on April 13. “On Saturday, they chose owner-requested euthanasia and surrendered the dog to us.”
Palmer said the dog has not been euthanized yet, since there is a quarantine period. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) typically advises shelters to watch a dog that has bitten someone for 10 days, in case it shows any signs of rabies.
The News Tribune asked Palmer how long Metro Animal Services’ quarantine period will last.
“I believe the length of the period depends on whether or not something develops during quarantine, so it can vary,” Palmer said.
The attack happened on Thursday, April 9 on West Pioneer Avenue, The News Tribune previously reported.
A video of the incident went viral on the public Facebook group “It takes a village: Puyallup”. In the video, a boy is riding his bicycle on a sidewalk when a large black dog jumps on him and knocks him over. The child screams and tries to run away while the dog jumps on him and chases after him.
A black car honks loudly and pulls up to the sidewalk, and then a neighbor, Ryan Meeker, emerges and shouts “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Get back, get back!” The dog runs away and the man asks the child if he’s okay, and the child starts sobbing. The video then ends.
As of April 13, the post had 15,000 engagements and almost 2,000 comments.
Meeker previously told The News Tribune that he had been in contact with the boy’s parents, who had taken the boy to the emergency room. The boy allegedly had scratches on his neck, ear, knees and legs. Jeremy Hedrick, operations captain for the Puyallup Police Department, previously told The News Tribune that the boy is 10 years old.
In her email, Palmer said Metro Animal Service’s officers didn’t have cause to take the dog from its owners on April 9, but did immediately launch an investigation. The owners surrendered the dog to the shelter on April 11.
“Metro’s officers responded immediately to the original 911 call on Thursday,” Palmer said. “The injuries were not of a nature that animal control could, by Puyallup City Code, immediately seize the dog on Thursday.”
The News Tribune asked Palmer what injuries would require immediate seizure. She said officers can immediately seize a dog if it inflicts serious injury, which Puyallup’s municipal code defines as “any physical injury which results in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations requiring multiple sutures or cosmetic surgery.”
In an April 11 Facebook post, the Puyallup Police Department said the child’s injuries “were minor and [he] should make a full recovery.”
In the comment section of the post, many people alleged the dog has been abused by its owners and has been aggressive with other people before. Hedrick previously told The News Tribune there is no history with this dog on PPD’s end.
“There is no documented history of prior reported incidents or complaints involving the dog made to Metro Animal Services or the Puyallup Police Department,” Palmer wrote in her email. “Our officers continue the investigation, including talking with the various neighbors in person. Based on the findings of the investigation, charges will be recommended to the City of Puyallup Prosecutor for review if warranted.”
The Puyallup Police Department released a statement on Facebook on April 10, the day after the attack.
“We find [this] video and incident disturbing. We are so grateful for the citizen who stopped and was able to protect the child and stopped the attack by the dog. Chief Scott Engle has asked Metro Animal Services to immediately review their response to the incident as quickly as possible,” the post said. “The investigation of this incident rests with Metro Animal Services. The Puyallup Police Department will assist Metro Animal Services in any way we can with this investigation.”
News Tribune archives contributed to this report.
