Kenosha committee upholds countydangerous-dog finding, authorizes euthanasia after child bitten

The Kenosha Safety and Welfare Committee on May 12 denied an appeal of a county dangerous-dog determination and authorized euthanasia of a dog identified in the hearing as Lola after a April 19, 2025 attack that injured a 7-year-old boy.

Assistant City Attorney Bridal Cole told the committee the item related to a dog bite on April 19, 2025, on the 6700 block of 20th Avenue and said the city had a video statement from the injured child in an ambulance. "This agenda item is relating to a dog bite that happened 04/19/2025," Cole said during the hearing.

Why it matters: Kenosha city and county officials said the case meets the local definitions that trigger a dangerous-dog determination and that the committee could, on appeal, either reverse that finding, uphold it, or uphold it and authorize disposal (euthanasia). The committee chose to uphold the countyhealth-department determination and to authorize euthanasia.

What committee members heard and why they decided: Community service officer Rachel Hamm, identified in the hearing as CSO Hamm, described the scene and the childvictim's injuries captured on body-worn camera. Hamm told the committee the child was bitten on the scrotum, that "when the dog was pulled off, it did rip a chunk off," and that emergency staff told officers the child might require reconstructive surgery and that potential long-term effects on hormones and fertility were unknown.

Mark Melleczyk of the (Kenosha) health department explained the departmentlevel determination and told the committee the case met the definition for a dangerous dog because the animal left its property and attacked a person. A police representative speaking for public safety said the department viewed the dog as dangerous and urged removal from the community.

Family and owner statements: The boy's father, Tyler Smith, described the emotional and physical toll on the child and said he did not want the dog to be euthanized if there were alternatives, but he acknowledged the seriousness of the injury: "I have been a dog lover all my life... All I basically ask is that the dog doesn't get euthanized," he said, adding the attack had left his son fearful. The dog's owner, identified in the agenda as Margarita Cita and later recorded in testimony as Margarita Sealon, said she had recently moved, that the dog had not previously bitten anyone to her knowledge, and that she was prepared to comply with restrictions and requirements. The owner also said the dog had been listed on a lease for the address where the incident occurred.

History and disputed prior incident: The committee reviewed paperwork indicating an earlier 2019 case number (0009061) that staff said referenced this dog; the owner and others disputed whether that prior matter was accurately reported as a second bite. The committee asked for, and staff said they could locate, body-camera footage from the current incident; members also clarified that body cams were not in use in 2019, so no earlier footage exists.

The vote: The committee voted to deny the appeal and to authorize euthanasia. The roll call recorded in the minutes shows affirmative votes from the following members: "Brock Kolobakia? Yes." "Eric Hoggart? Aye." "Pam Michalski? Aye." "And Sal? Aye." "Caroline King. Aye." The chair also voted in the affirmative. The motion as recorded: "to deny the appeal and to euthanize the dog."

What this means next: City staff said denying the appeal without the euthanasia authorization would instead leave the owner able to keep a dog declared dangerous only if the owner met 14 requirements under the city ordinance (insurance, signage, microchipping and other controls). If the committee explicitly authorizes disposal, the euthanasia option is implemented under the ordinance and city process.

Committee members and staff described the decision as one of the most difficult they face. "Hate doing it, but we have to do it. It's one of the hardest things we have to do on this committee," the chair said after the vote.

Provenance: The committee opened the dangerous-dog appeal as agenda item "Dangerous bridal declaration appeal, Margarita Cita" and concluded the item with the recorded roll call and statement after the vote.