The owner whose dog attacked a woman at Home Depot could face charges, lawmakers say

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colorado — A woman recovers after a dog attack at a Home Depot in Evergreen.

Denver7 spoke to Jefferson County animal control officials who provided an update on the incident, which occurred March 31

Animal control officials said the incident happened after a woman went up to the dog and its owners and asked if she could pet it.

According to Jennifer Dow, animal control supervisor for Jefferson County, owners told her to give the dog a treat first as part of his training.

“The dog sat well, gently took her treat and then suddenly pounced on her face,” Dow said.

The victim suffered serious injuries and required surgery. While customers and store employees helped the injured woman, Jefferson County officials said the owners had left the scene.

They were later able to locate them thanks to an anonymous tip after the sheriff’s office posted photos online and asked for the public’s help in identifying the owners under surveillance.

Dow said the owners cooperated but now deny it was a dog bite, saying it was a headbutt.

“Right now it’s unclear whether it was basically a headbutt or a bite. We are still awaiting further reports from the doctor’s office,” Dow said.

She said this will determine what charge the dog’s owners will face. They could be charged for being bitten by a dog from property under the owner’s control, which is a misdemeanor, or they could be charged for harboring a vicious dog, which is a minor offence.

Denver7 asked if they could face additional charges for leaving the scene.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any such regulations, such as a kind of hit-and-run. But it would have been responsible to stay and make sure she was okay and give her all the information because she clearly needed to see a doctor,” Dow added.

Officials said the dog is a Great Dane and is being quarantined at home for 10 days to ensure he shows no signs of rabies.

Dow urges the public to ensure they are in complete control of pets at all times.

“Your dog is essentially your property, your pet,” Dow said. “Dogs are unpredictable, no matter how well trained they are. You never know.”

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is waiting for more information from doctors to determine what charges the owners face.

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