Hearing set for dog that allegedly attacked 3 people

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on December 05, 2008

A dog in a North Amherst neighborhood that has allegedly attacked three people since 2006 will be the subject of a formal dog hearing.

Town Manager Larry Shaffer said he and Police Chief Charles Scherpa will hold the hearing on a German shepherd mix named Leah that is owned by Karen Eddings of 84 Blackberry Lane, tentatively scheduled for Dec. 11.

The hearing will require testimony from the dog owner, victims, witnesses and police officers to be taken under oath. After the hearing, Shaffer said he intends to bring a recommendation to the Select Board for its formal decision on the fate of the dog.

"Once the evidence is gathered, I'll prepare a recommendation for Select Board consideration," Shaffer said.

The recommendation could include anything from putting restrictions on the dog's movements to ordering the animal to be killed. Shaffer said he is not generally supportive of having a problem dog banished, as this just puts these same issues on another community.

The most recent incident involving the dog took place Sept. 12 when a 7-year-old girl riding a bicycle on Blackberry Lane approached the dog, which Eddings was walking on a leash on the street. Eddings apparently warned the girl that the dog had sometimes reacted negatively when it saw people on wheels, having previously bitten both a bicyclist and a rollerblader. The girl attempted to get away from the dog, but ended up being bitten on the right leg above the ankle. She was brought to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton by her mother for treatment of lacerations and a small puncture wound.

Two previous incidents include one reported July 1, 2006, when a 14-year-old boy rollerblading on Blackberry Lane was bitten on the back of his left knee. At the time, Eddings told police that she would purchase a muzzle and a line for the dog and would keep the dog inside for the near future.

Then, on Nov. 18, 2006, a 56-year-old man bicycling at the corner of Blackberry Lane and Sacco Drive was bitten on the leg by the animal. At the time, Carol Hepburn, the animal welfare officer, urged Eddings to quarantine her dog for 10 days and have it wear a muzzle at all times. Hepburn also warned Eddings about possible fines and a hearing in front of the Select Board.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.