CASPER, Wyo. — A Casper Metro Animal Services animal protection officer issued a “running at large” citation and a “vicious” citation to the owner of a Rottweiler that allegedly attacked an 11-year-old boy in a west Casper neighborhood on the afternoon of Sunday, April 3, according to a statement provided by Casper Police Department Public Information Officer Rebekah Ladd on Tuesday.
The boy’s mother, Casianne Hancock, told an Oil City reporter last week the attack allegedly occurred at around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3, while her son was riding his bicycle with another child in the 3500 block of Partridge Lane. The boy sustained bites on his arms and legs during the alleged attack. Hancock said a neighbor driving by saw the attack and was able to scare off the dog. The boy was then taken to the emergency room, where nurses contacted Metro Animal Services, which came to the ER to take statements.
Ladd said the animal protection officer issued the two citations to the dog’s owners as a result of the investigation.
“As a result of these citations, the owner will appear before a judge for a plea,” Ladd’s statement adds. “From there, the judge will make a determination as to whether the animal is deemed as vicious and determine next steps for the animal. This is not the determination of the Animal Protection Officer.
“The Animal Protection Officer’s role in a case such as this is to determine if this is a first offense for the animal and the circumstances in which the incident occurred. In this case, it was a first offense and the owners did not surrender the animal to the APO. The APO worked with the owner of the animal to determine a quarantine and veterinary schedule to evaluate the animal for both health and behavioral changes as is standard procedure following an animal bite.”
Ladd said the Casper PD and Metro Animal Services extend sympathies to the boy and “we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Oil City on Thursday filed a request to obtain Metro’s incident report regarding the alleged attack. Ladd said Tuesday that as the case remains active, that request is still being processed and is undergoing review before being released.
Oil City on Thursday also attempted to find contact information for the dog’s owners, but has been so far unsuccessful in doing so. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
