March 28, 2024

Dog attacked, killed; Newton woman cited

Aggressor dog to be quarantined for total of 10 days

A Newton woman told the Newton Daily News one of her dogs was attacked by a neighbor's dog Friday, and later died — and it wasn't the first time recently that one of her dogs was attacked.

Tammy Heyveld said she was walking her six-pound poodle mix, Edna, near her home on S. 24th Ave. W. on Friday when a neighbor's dog came out of its yard and crossed the street to grab Edna, Heyveld's dog, by the abdomen.

While the neighbor was able to pull her dog away, and Heyveld was able to get Edna to the Newton Animal Clinic for emergency surgery, Edna ended up dying Saturday. Heyveld said the neighbor's dog is a vizsla-labrador mix.

She later reported the incident to police. The Newton Police Department cited Joyce Louise Wood, 58, of Newton with having a dog at large and having an unlicensed dog.

“I had spoken to this neighbor a few times about the dog running loose, and she assured me she would keep the dog in the yard,” Heyveld said. “Obviously, that did not happen.”

Heyveld said she filed a report with Newton Police on Monday morning.

Acting NPD Chief Rob Burdess said late Monday that the vizsla-labrador mix has been quarantined at a local veterinary clinic. That quarantine will end up being a 10-day period used to determine if the dog has rabies, since the owner didn't have any vaccination records and hadn't licensed the dog with the city.

Burdess also said Wood, who is not the owner of the vizsla-labrador mix, was caring for the dog at the time of the attack. He said Wood opened a door, not intending to let the dog out, but the dog escaped and left the property.

After the 10-day veterinarian quarantine ends, Burdess, as police chief, will determine if the dog is vicious. At that time, if the owner has paid the veterinarian's cost of housing the dog for the quarantine, the chief can choose to release the dog back to the owner.

If the housing fees are not paid by then, the dog will be euthanized.

Heyveld also said that on April 6, she was walking dogs on leashes at the Newton Arboretum when her dachshund, Earl, was attacked by what she described as a “large pit bull” that had pulled out of its collar. However, she ddin't report that particular incident to NPD.

“I was knocked down and bitten on the hand when I tried to get the dog off of mine,” Heyveld said. “The owner eventually got her dog away from mine. Earl had to have stitches and suffered pain and severe bruising in his groin area.”

Newton City Code Chapter 13.0319 prohibits dogs, cats and pigs from “running at large.”

Coincidentally, Friday's attack happened three days before the Newton City Council was set to address dogs at large as a part of its regular meeting. The agenda for Monday night's meeting included a proposed change to its Animal Control Ordinance.

Heyveld said she is more guarded than ever, and hopes other dog owners in the area don't have to go through the same kind of experience.

“I am scared to take my dogs out of the house,” Heyveld said. “And I don't want anyone else to lose a four-legged family member the way we lost Edna.”

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com