Cobb Co. homeowners say they’re fed up after dog attacks, officials investigating

ACWORTH, Ga. — Some homeowners living in an Acworth neighborhood tell Channel 2 Action News they’re fed up with dog attacks in their community.

Now, Cobb County Animal Services is investigating two cases where a dog in the neighborhood attacked other residents, and dogs.

Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell spoke to neighbors, and county officials, about how the dog has hurt two people and another dog.

Newell was told by neighbors living in the area that a pitbull named Hank was responsible for the attacks.

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When Channel 2 Action News spoke to Cobb County Animal Services Director Stephen Hammond, he confirmed the dog had a problem staying home.

“Hank does have a problem staying in his home, he gets out occasionally and he likes to chase other dogs,” Hammond said.

He showed Newell pictures of what the pitbull is accused of doing to two people and another dog in the neighborhood.

“As he’s chasing other dogs, it does occasionally happen where somebody that is trying to protect their dog gets bit or scratched in the process of that,” Hammond said.

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Now, his team is investigating two attacks and Hank’s owners are facing four citations.

The pitbull was placed in quarantine for 20 days.

“He’s attacked my dog through the fence, he’s very aggressive,” Daniel Smith told Newell. “He ripped it down and attacked my mother-in-law who was in the backyard.”

News Drone 2 shot video of the fence Smith was talking about. He lives next door to Hank’s owners.

Smith said he “absolutely” does not feel safe in the neighborhood with Hank there.

According to Georgia’s responsible dog ownership law, a dog can be deemed vicious or dangerous depending on the situation, but Hammond said Hank’s actions didn’t qualify for that designation.

Under state law, Hammond said Hank isn’t a vicious or dangerous dog.

“We have to follow the law as it’s written and apply it equally to everybody. On this particular one, we just don’t rise to the occasion,” Hammond explained.

Hammond said he didn’t belive the victims’ injuries in the case rise to the level of substantial or severe, as defined in state law, that’s why they aren’t deeming Hank vicious or dangerous.

However, some homeowners shared a letter they received with Channel 2 Action News from the neighborhood’s homeowner’s association after they shared concerns about Hank in a recent meeting.

The HOA said that after speaking with Hank’s owners, they were told he was removed from the home.

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