Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Florida: County insists it was a "clerical error" that vicious Pit Bull that mauled woman was put right back on the adoption floor after being brought in

FLORIDA -- Animal Services in Orange County, Fla., said a clerical error led to a pit bull being made available for adoption hours after it attacked a woman.

Tootie Francis said she spent 13 hours in the emergency room after the dog attacked her, WKMG-TV, Orlando, reported Tuesday.

"He was ripping into my flesh and pulling my pants leg and he let go of that leg and came around and did the same thing to my other leg," Francis told the television station.

The dog was taken by animal control authorities but Francis said she saw the dog was listed on the county Web site as available for adoption.

"It was a clerical error," Orange County Animal Services representative Vanessa Bouffard said. "The dog should not have been labeled as a stray animal. It should have been labeled as an unavailable animal, thus keeping it from the Web site automatically."

Animal control officials said they would not have allowed the dog to be adopted because the attack was clearly stated in its file, WKMG-TV reported.

The pit bull was euthanized after her owner declined to claim the dog and pay the required fines.

(UPI - March 27, 2007)