Quarantined animals, the process

Blackfoot police are continuing their investigation of a mauling by dogs that happened on Monday. A 58-year-old woman was severely injured and bleeding from multiple dog bites. One dog was shot on the scene and the other two are in quarantine.

In a violent situation like this, the suspect dogs can be taken into quarantine for 10 days.

“If they’re up to date on their vaccines, we get that all figured out. We get that checked. We watch them for signs of any illnesses during that 10 days and we have a vet come out and check them,” said Stacy Davies, an animal control officer with the Blackfoot Police Department.

“If we can get proof of rabies vaccine or testing done early, it prevents that victim from having to go through a series of rabies vaccines, which could be quite painful,” said Capt. Scott Gay with the Blackfoot Police Department.

Animals cannot be tested for rabies unless they are dead. This is why animal control waits the 10 days to see if symptoms arise.

When it comes to the owners of the suspect animal: “They can have potential charges: harboring a vicious animal, allowing a dog to bite, dog at large. There are several different charge options,” Gay said.

At the end of the 10-day quarantine, the owner has to take the dog to the vet and get it updated on its vaccinations. But the animal’s future is left up to the courts.

“It would just depend on the case, then it would go to court. It depends on the severity of the bite, the situation of if it was provoked/unprovoked. And then it would be the judge’s decision if it’d need to be put down,” Davies said.

No formal charges have been given to the owners of the dogs involved in the Blackfoot attack on Monday, but charges are pending.