Delaware man charged for failing to keep dogs secured

Mitchell – The owner of four Cane Corso mastiffs has been charged as his dog attacked a 67-year-old man.

He was charged yesterday with four counts of allowing his animals to run free and causing serious physical harm to a person, a second-degree misdemeanor. The charges could add up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $750.

The four counts against include; a charge separate from the counts involving bodily harm; four counts of failing to register the dogs; three counts of failure to have his dogs vaccinated against rabies; and one count of having too many dogs as against the number of dog Delaware residents are allowed. All are minor misdemeanors that carry a maximum fine of $150.

Delaware allows residents to have three dogs. For more, the owner must seek a kennel license.

Mitchell was issued a summons to appear in court, said Capt. Bruce Pijanowski of the Delaware Police Department.

James Bright, 67, was walking near S. Washington Street and London Road when the dogs attacked him.

Bright, a Delaware resident, was flown to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where he was in stable condition with injuries that weren’t life-threatening.

It is at least the second time that one of Mitchell’s dogs has bitten a person. In 2006, a woman reported being bitten by two dogs, and Mitchell was charged with allowing his dogs to run free, failing to vaccinate them against rabies, and failing to get a dog license. He was fined $418, had to pay more than $2,000 in medical bills for the victim, and was prohibited from owning a dog weighing more than 10 pounds for two years. That condition has since elapsed.

He also was charged in 2001, 2002 and 2005 with allowing his dogs to run free, and in 2008 with not vaccinating or licensing his dogs.

“There’s nothing that allows us to say he can’t have a dog,” Pijanowski said. “There could be sanctions through the court that he may be subject to, but there’s nothing in the law, local or statewide, that says we can prevent him from owning dogs.”

Reached by phone today, Mitchell declined to comment.

The four dogs were impounded and remain in the custody of the dog warden.