Marengo 3-year-old has surgery after dog attack

MARENGO — A 3-year-old Marengo girl required surgery after she was bitten by a pit bull in a Marengo residence last month.

The attack led Marengo Police Chief to ask the city council if it wants to change its ordinance about vicious animals.

Police received a report about 10:35 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23 of a dog bite at 697 E. Adams, Marengo Police Chief Ben Gray said Thursday.

A pitbull mix bit a child while someone was babysitting her in the house where the dog lives.

The girl was taken to Compass Memorial Healthcare by private vehicle with injuries to her head, including several lacerations which Gray described as “significant.”

The girl required surgery, Gray said.

Marengo police have investigated this dog before, said Gray. It has bitten in officer, and Gray has heard that the dog has bitten other animals, but those incidents were not reported to police.

The case is under investigation. Charges are pending, said Gray.

The dog in question has been vaccinated, said Gray, though its registration with the city expired in January. It has been confined for 10 days, as required by the Code of Iowa, to see if it has rabies.

The Iowa County Board of Health allows dogs to be confined in their homes, said Gray, but this dog lives in the house behind the victim. Gray wondered if the city council wanted to change the ordinance to require that a biting dog be confined for the required 10 days in a kennel.

Gray said he’s worked for communities that require that dogs that have bitten people be confined in a licensed kennel for 10 days. “We don’t have a lot of vet options in the county,” said Gray, “so that becomes challenging.”

The dogs could be confined in kennels outside the county, said Councilman Travis Schlabach. People from Marengo drive to Cedar Rapids all the time, he said.

“I don’t have a preference,” said Gray. “I’ve worked under both ways.”

Some people can’t afford to keep a dog in a kennel for 10 days, said Gray. He’s seen dog owners opt to have their animals euthanized because it’s less expensive than quarantine in a kennel.

Councilman John Hinshaw objected to forcing confinement to a kennel on the first offense. Sometimes a dog bites because it’s reacting to abuse, such as a child pulling its tail or kicking it, he said.

Gray said officers take that into account when issuing citations.

Councilmembers noted that many dog bites are minor and don’t need medical care. Many are not reported.

Gray asked if the council would be comfortable requiring that a dog be confined in a kennel if a child goes to the hospital because of the bite.

The council agreed to require that the quarantine take place in a kennel if the victim requires medical care.

Gray said he would request the change in policy from the Board of Health.