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May 24, 2008 1:07 pm US/Central
Dallas Pit Bull Owners Sue Attack Victim, Realtor
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Two pit bulls have been accused of attacking people and their dogs in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas. Now, the owners of the dogs are filing a lawsuit against their realtors and one of the attack victims.
Debbie O'Connor suffered injuries to her finger and her hand during an attack on March 30. The pit bulls, which belong to John and Cathy Harris, also bit O'Connor's dog. The lawsuit says that O'Connor defamed the Harris family.
"She's created a lot of hysteria in the neighborhood, wherein the Harrises are spied upon," explained Wade Kricken, the Harrises' attorney. "They've been threatened. They've been assaulted."
The Harris family is also suing their former real estate company, Ebby Halliday, claiming that negligence lead to a second attack on a man and his dog on May 3.
"When they were done showing the house, they didn't properly secure the house," said Kricken. "When the dogs came home, they got out the gate that was left unsecured."
The city quarantined the pit bulls before later returned them to the Harris family.
Meanwhile, neighbors said that they are frightened that the pit bulls could still be in the neighborhood.
Earlier this month, animal control officers decided the animals' behavior did not warrant euthanizing them. But they did require John Harris to meet four conditions:
--The dogs must be secured and enclosed at all times.
--Each dog must be fitted with an identifying microchip.
--He must put up signs that read "Dangerous Dog."
--He must carry at least $100,000 dollars in liability
insurance.
At that time, Harris said he would not return the dogs to the neighborhood. But when approached by CBS 11 News on May 23, Harris refused to disclose the current location of the dogs.
Residents are hoping that the city can help with a tougher ordinance for dangerous dogs. "It probably does need to be tightened up, so neighborhoods won't have to deal with dogs that have a known history," said Lois Finkelman, who lives in the area.
Representatives from Ebby Halliday declined to comment on pending litigation.
Debbie O'Connor is out of town and could not be reached.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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