Dog bite brings new mission for family – Newnan Times-Herald

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The Swann family’s then 10-year-old was bitten by a neighbor’s dog in 2021 and had to be transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston. She ended up getting 28 stitches.
By Laura Camper / [email protected]
One hot summer day in August 2021, the Swann family took on a new mission after their then 10-year-old daughter was seriously injured by a neighbor’s dog.

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Meghan Swann and three of her four daughters knocked on a neighbor’s door to let them know that a puppy had taken refuge under their car on Aug. 28, 2021. As the neighbor opened the door, the family’s German shepherd burst out, knocking one of the girls to the ground and latching on to the arm of their 10-year-old. The neighbor was able to pull her dog off the little girl and had to lay on top of the dog to calm it down, Meghan Swann said.
They called 911 and another neighbor, a dentist, helped stabilize the 10-year-old until the ambulance arrived. After looking at the severity of the bites, the ambulance took her to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston.
“They said Newnan Hospital can’t handle that kind of trauma,” Charles Swann said. “She had to immediately take a 45-minute ride to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston.”
She ended up getting 28 stitches and a scar that dominates her lower arm. Talking about the ordeal still makes her cry.
“It scared me, because I heard it. It was growling and barking when she opened the doors,” she said. “I put my arms out and was backing up.”
She was just glad that she found out her sisters were spared, the now 11-year-old said.
Learning about animal services
But the family was suddenly thrust into dealing with animal control, magistrate court and the animal control review board. It was all very stressful — and educational, said Charles Swann.
“The state of Georgia passed laws in 2012 that made it much easier for people to keep vicious dogs,” Swann said.
“My attorney even said the dog bite laws in Georgia benefit the dog owner more (since) the state laws were adopted,” said Coweta County Warden Larry Clifton.

The local ordinance defines a dangerous or vicious dog as one that bites, has been involved in more than one biting incident or is, in the opinion of the agent, a potential danger to people or property. If someone keeps a dog that is found to be dangerous or vicious, the local ordinances require they register the dog annually and pay a $500 fee, confine the animal in a proper kennel, which is not defined, and post signs that a vicious dog is on the premises.
The investigation
Clifton and Animal Services Sgt. Mibrika McQueen, said that once a bite incident is reported, Coweta County Animal Services officers start an investigation. They first talk to the bite victim and get pictures of the wound. Then they talk to the owner of the dog about the quarantine laws. State law allows the owner to quarantine the dog at home for 10 days. That means, McQueen said, that they cannot take the dog anywhere, not even to a veterinarian — it must remain in the home and be taken out only to relieve itself. When it is outside, it must be leashed and muzzled, he said. If at any time during that 10 days the dog becomes ill or dies, the owner must notify Animal Services. At the end of the quarantine, officers will come out and check on the dog. This is to ensure that if the dog has rabies or some other illness, the bite victim can receive treatment, they said.
Once the investigation is finished and if Animal Services classifies the dog as vicious, the owner is notified by certified letter within 72 hours. The owner then has seven days to appeal the decision, McQueen said.
If the owner doesn’t appeal, the classification stands and the owner is subject to the state and county laws, McQueen said. If the owner appeals, the case goes before the Animal Control Board for review. At that hearing, the victim, the owner and Animal Services all have a chance to speak, he said.
The case may also go to magistrate court if the victim tries to be reimbursed for damages or there are citations such as failure to provide proper restraint, Clifton said. But that process is separate from Animal Services. Officers can be called to testify at the case, but that would be their only involvement.
It’s time
Clifton is glad that the county ordinances are being reviewed, he said. It’s time, Clifton said.
“Policy is policy, orders is orders,” he said. “Whoever’s working can only go so far.”
McQueen agreed.
“I would say we have probably one of the best enforcements in metro Atlanta of our policy when it comes to vicious and dangerous dogs,” he said. “We may need to tweak some things, but at the end of the day, we’re pretty stern when it comes to our ordinances.”
Officers visit the locations of registered dogs annually, McQueen said.
“We make it our business to make sure we go out there on a yearly basis to make sure they are up to date,” he said.
Looking at other policies
Other cities and counties in the state have used the state law as a minimum and incorporated more stringent ordinances to protect people from dangerous dogs. In the city of Canton in Cherokee County for instance, the type of enclosure that houses a dangerous or vicious dog is defined specifically. It also specifies a fence around the perimeter of the yard in which the enclosure is placed. Canton requires that vicious dogs be registered with the county and specifies a $1,000 annual fee. It also requires a $1 million liability insurance policy to cover any damage or injury the dog might cause.
The city’s ordinance also states that dogs that have since July 1, 2012, caused serious injuries to people on more than one occasion, shall be euthanized.
Swann said he would like to see a policy closer to the Canton policy in Coweta County. He and his daughter have spoken to the Coweta County Commission about instituting the changes and specifically to Commissioner John Reidelbach, Swann said.
Reidelbach has begun working on the problem, the commissioner said.
“I have asked the county administrator to research Code of Ordinances enacted by other counties that expand on the regulations set forth in state law regarding responsible dog ownership,” Reidelbach said by email. “Staff is now preparing a draft amendment that will be brought to the Board (of Commissioners) in August or September. If approved, the amendment will be effective immediately after.”
One change Swann would like to see is that reports filed about a specific animal be searchable by animal at the very least by the investigators. The Swanns found out as they went through this process that another neighborhood child had been bitten by the same dog a few years before.
Dee Heegan said that her daughter had been bitten on June 1, 2017, by the same German shepherd.
Heegan said that when her daughter was attacked, the injuries were not nearly as severe, — the dog was a puppy at the time — but the bite did break the skin.
“The dog was quarantined and they were fined for not having updated shots at the time,” she said.
At that time, the animal control officer discouraged her from doing anything further, Heegan said. She doesn’t even think the incident is classified as a dog bite.
“With somebody discouraging you and pretty much telling you you’re up against a brick wall, that’s why we didn’t do anything five years ago,” Heegan said.
Swann agreed.
“Animal control, they notify the dog owners of the whole process, because obviously there’s legal issues for them,” Swann said. “But they don’t notify the victims about what’s going on.”
He would also like to see the law require homeowners’ associations be notified when a dog in the neighborhood is classified as dangerous or vicious so they can notify all the members.
Josh and Andrea Dannewitz, owners of the German shepherd, declined to comment for this story.

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