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Irondale resident injured by unleashed dogs; council reviews process for declaring a dog "vicious"
Summary
A woman who said she was attacked by two unleashed dogs reported a fractured shoulder and torn ligament to the Irondale City Council. Officials told her that the statutory process for declaring a dog "vicious" requires a formal report; the police department can pursue fines and removal once the process begins.
A local resident told the Irondale City Council she was injured after two unleashed dogs — which she identified as a Great Dane and a pit bull — ran at her during a walk and left her with a fractured shoulder bone and a partially torn ligament.
Chava Bedley described the incident to the council and said she was treated at Saint Vincent’s and began physical therapy for a fractured shoulder and a 75 percent torn ligament. “The only thought in my mind…I've gotta do something to keep that pitbull hitting my arm…so I started rolling on the pavement,” Bedley said, describing how bystanders and first responders helped her.
Bedley and other residents said the animals were unleashed in a neighborhood and referenced municipal ordinances that require leashes; she identified the episode as a public-safety concern and urged enforcement. The council and the presiding officer explained how the city handles aggressive or dangerous animals: an animal can be declared vicious only after a report is made and the statutory process is initiated.
Council President Spivey advised that the bite/attack needs to be reported to the police so the legal process — which can include seizure of the animal and fines — can begin. “The ordinance that says…the only way a dog can be deemed vicious is if it's reported. And that sets the whole process in place of addressing that,” he said.
Council members asked whether fines had been issued in the specific case and directed the question to the chief of police. The chief confirmed that once an animal is formally reported as vicious, the department may pursue removal and recommend charges in keeping with city code.
Why it matters: Beyond the individual injury, unleashed or potentially dangerous dogs raise public-safety questions for pedestrians, children and neighbors. The council’s response focused on ensuring the incident was logged with police so that the city’s code enforcement and animal-control processes could begin.
What residents were told to do: File a report with the police department so the animal can be evaluated under city code; once a formal report exists, officers and animal-control staff can pursue seizure, fines, or other remedies that municipal code provides.
Attribution: Account and injury details provided directly by Chava Bedley during public comment; council procedural guidance from Council President Spivey and council members’ questions about enforcement.
