Comment on story. Polk County Animal Control Supervisor Gina Taylor said that while she expected the number of dog biting incidents to increase this summer, she never expected anything like what has happened recently.

“There is a difference between bites and maulings,” Taylor explained. “In the last two weeks we have seen the worst of what I hope we would ever see.”

Taylor said that three recent dog attacks in Polk County are far worse than the typical dog biting incidents that seem to increase during the summer months.

Most recently, on the afternoon of July 4, a dog bit a two-year-old female in Rockmart, according to Polk County police reports.

The dog was described as a bulldog and hound mix and reportedly bit the child in the head, causing a laceration from one side of her head to the other. She was transported to Floyd Medical Center by Polk EMS.

For public safety reasons, the dog was seized and quarantined by animal control.

A 58-year-old woman was also attacked recently, this time on Johnson Lake Road on June 26.

Polk County police reports state that the “medium sized black dog” reportedly came out of the woods at the woman’s residence and bit her in the left bicep and the left ankle. The victim also received a scratch to her back and the base of her neck.

According to Taylor, the victim required 26 stitches after the attack.

The dog was quarantined for ten days before being returned back to its owner, per animal control policy.

The worst attack, Taylor said, came during a church cookout in Cedartown on June 19.

As previously reported in the Cedartown Standard, a pit bull attacked a six-year-old Douglasville boy on East Fairmont Avenue.

A witness on the scene told Cedartown Police that the pit bull had been tied up in a neighbor’s yard when it broke loose, lunging at the child and biting him all over his body.

The child reportedly suffered injuries to his legs, arms and back of his neck.

Attempts were made by other attendees at the cookout to subdue the dog by hitting it with a chair. However, the dog kept attacking until the owner was able to pull it away.

Had the child been unsupervised, the attack would surely have been fatal, Taylor said.

The dog was later euthanized by animal control.

Taylor stated that all the victims of the attacks are said to be recovering well, though, she is still concerned about the possibility of future attacks.

“What I’m seeing here are animals that are extremely aggressive,” Taylor said. “They [the owners] need to realize that if they own these dogs that they can be criminally liable. You need to take extra precautions.”

The owners of the dogs in each case were issued citations by animal control, for animal to person contact and failure to exercise due care.

Additionally, the owner of the dog involved in the Johnson Lake Road incident was charged with interference with an animal control officer and failure to obey an animal control officer after he allegedly tried to hide his dog from animal control officers.

“If people won’t be responsible to the public then we will,” she said.

Citations for first offenses, Taylor said, cost owners $71; second offenses cost $131; and third offenses can bring the owner before a judge.

Taylor explained potentially vicious dogs should always be reported to animal control.

“If you’ve got one in your neighborhood maybe you should make that phone call.”

According to information provided by the Polk County Health Department, all dogs regardless of size and breed can bite if provoked. Dogs may bite due to fear, to protect their territory, or to establish dominance over the person being bitten.

Genetics may play a role in determining if a dog will bite, but factors such as spaying or neutering, proper socialization, supervision, training a safely confining a dog also play a significant role.

If a dog or any other animal bites you, wash the area with warm soapy water. Next, call the Georgia Poison Center or your doctor right away for further treatment recommendations, including the need for rabies treatment.

Even bites that do not need the rabies shots should be handled carefully to prevent infection, which can occur eight to 24 hours following a bite. Symptoms may include pus, redness or swelling.

If any of these symptoms occur following a bite, go to a doctor for treatment.

Polk County Animal Control is located at 1215 Veal St. and can be reached at (770) 749-8908.