Residents, business owner press Pinckneyville council over dog-attack response and quarantine

Dr. Wayne Hawkins and other residents told the Pinckneyville City Council on Feb. 24 that a Rottweiler that attacked a worker on Feb. 17 remains at the owner’s house across from the Community Center and that current procedures leave neighbors at risk. The council heard questions about custody, quarantine and whether the city can hold or remove the animal.

"Why has the Rottweiler that attacked one of my workers ... not been taken into custody?" Dr. Wayne Hawkins asked, saying he was told the dog was still in the owner’s house and noting the animal lives across from a facility where children are dropped off and picked up. He later said, "if I see the dog outside, it will be shot." Victim Kelsey Nagel told the council the dog broke the cable it had been tied to and that she "could have been killed."

Police Chief Kenneth Kelley told the council he understood the dog had current vaccinations and that under that understanding the quarantine period would be three days; City Attorney Don Bigham said the report authorizes a 14-day impound and that county authorities have the ability to separate animals and people. Bigham said impoundment could occur at the pound or the owner's property and, if the animal shows no signs of rabies after 14 days, the owner may be able to reclaim it. Chief Kelley said he would "make every effort to get the dog to a separate quarantine facility tonight." He also said officers focused initially on ensuring medical attention for the victim and the owner when they responded.

Rhonda Shubert, who runs the Community Center after-school program, asked that an officer be present at student pick-up and drop-off to maintain control if the dog is loose; she said 65 children use the program each day. Commissioner Sammy D. Peradotta said the city needs ordinance language to prevent similar situations in the future.

City Attorney Bigham told the council that a hearing on the matter is governed by the County Ordinance and would need to be initiated by the State’s Attorney, Perry County Animal Control, or a private citizen, not by the city under its ordinance as currently written. No formal city action or hearing was recorded during the meeting; Chief Kelley reported an intent to move the dog to separate quarantine and the county role was emphasized.

The council did not adopt a new animal-control measure at the meeting; members asked staff and the police chief to follow up on quarantine arrangements and to report back if additional legal or procedural steps are available.