Tuesday, the Hampton City Council held a vicious dog hearing following an incident last Wednesday when a dog, owned by Shaun Walker, attacked Matt Johnson, a mail carrier, at 702 7th Ave SW while Johnson was on route.
The incident happened just before 1:00 p.m. There was a camper in the front yard at the time of the incident and Johnson told the council once he got around the camper the dog began to attack, and he had little time to react.
“I saw that red cable chain start to unravel with the dog proceeding to come at me. My instinct was to back away as quickly as possible. A two second thought was, I need that chain to tighten up or ‘I’m done.’ By the time I said the second ‘I’m done’, the dog was on my arm. I remained patient while the dog was on my arm. I couldn’t even see the dog’s teeth. There’s nothing I can do with a dog on your arm. Now keep in mind, I still have mail in my hand. I was defenseless. Even with that dog on my arm, I never touched that dog. The dog was on my arm and I was patiently waiting for it to let go. After the dog let go, from where Mr. Walker was standing, with his dog at no time did Mr. Walker ever come over and assist me with that dog. That was five seconds. He was nowhere to be seen. Nobody from that address come up and assisted me. Asked if I was okay. See if I needed a ride. He left me there with the dog on my arm. No assistance there. He let me walk from 7th Ave to 5th Ave which is two city blocks. Didn’t even come and check on me.”
Johnson said he received 10 stitches to his right arm as a result. Walker admitted to the council that he saw the dog attack Johnson but it was the first time his dog had done anything like that.
“I went in to get a saw blade out of my camper and the cat got out and I saw the dog coming from under the camper chasing the cat like he always does and then she just kind of ran off this way to the left and he went around the corner and I saw the mailman and he went down and he smacked the dog and my dog kind of jumped up smacked with the mail and I said ‘what the heck’ and then when I said that, Buddy (the dog) grabbed onto his arm. I held the dog and said ‘let go Buddy, stop.’ He let go and I took him out in the camper there I was wiping the blood off the top of his head make sure he wasn’t hurt or anything and after that I knew the cops would probably be there. I didn’t see him go down the street or anything like that. I just trying to control the dog, make sure he didn’t go back out there or anything like that. He wasn’t like, worked up or anything, just he laid down. But I just make sure nothing else, didn’t get out, do anything else. He’s had seen the dog before, he was chained to the tree on the other side. I’ve been outside with him (Buddy), to get the mail. Brought the mail here with the dog. But I don’t blame him for what he did. I probably would’ve done the same thing. I know, some dog jumping at me, I don’t know it. My dog is a friendly dog. If he gets smacked, sure that’s what’s gonna happen, he’s defending himself. But other than that, he’s never bitten anybody. And he’s never not unchained. And I’ve always sat outside with him.”
The council voted to declare the dog as vicious and now the dog must be removed from city limits, or the owner must have it euthanized. The council voted 3-3 to declare the dog as vicious. Those casting aye votes were council members Jerre Grefe, Pat Palmer and Barry Lamos. Those casting no votes were Bill Holmstrom, Jim Davies and Kristin Roode. Hampton Mayor Steve Birdsall cast the tie-breaking vote to declare the dog as vicious.
