Elena Hernandez, an Oak Lawn resident and licensed social worker, told the Village Board on June 24 that a rottweiler jumped a backyard fence and charged her 9-year-old daughter on June 8, causing injuries that required stitches and a hospital visit.

Hernandez said she made multiple calls and visits to the Oak Lawn Police Department and the village's animal-control office before the Cook County Animal Control worker received the required documentation and opened a dangerous-dog investigation. "It took my push, my advocacy, my diligence, and my own investigation to have the Cook County Animal Control Department request the animal bite card and the dangerous dog investigation," she said.

The account matters because the village code and county procedures assign roles for reporting and investigating animal bites. Hernandez said she first went to the police station on June 15 to provide photos and medical records, that an Oak Lawn animal-control officer contacted her on June 17, and that the animal-bite card and investigation were submitted to Cook County on June 18. She told trustees the delay left her and her child feeling unsafe and traumatized.

Mayor Borderer said staff would follow up. "Our assistant village manager will have a discussion with the chief," the mayor said during the meeting, and trustees asked that village staff contact Hernandez directly to gather details.

Trustee Bud Stalker offered to be a contact point for Hernandez and urged her to call the village office. The board did not take formal action at the meeting but directed staff to review the timeline Hernandez described and to confer with the police chief and Cook County Animal Control about the case and any procedural gaps.

Hernandez described injuries and aftermath in personal detail: she said her daughter received stitches and has been left with anxiety about outdoor activities. She asked the village to consider adding back-up coverage for animal-control duties to avoid similar delays in the future.

The board did not vote on new policy or staffing during the meeting. Trustees said they would report back after staff and the police chief review the incident and the village's compliance with Cook County reporting procedures.

For next steps, residents were told they may contact the village manager's office or the assistant village manager to discuss the case and any procedural changes the village might consider.