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Second dog captured after attack on Sumter woman

Female victim remains hospitalized with critical injuries after being attacked by two dogs Sunday morning

SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — The second dog that Sumter County deputies say was involved in an attack on a woman early Easter morning has been captured. 

The animal was one of two that attacked a woman as she was walking along Oswego Highway, near the intersection of US 378/76, around 6 a.m. Sunday morning. When Sumter County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene, both dogs released the victim with one dog running away while the other dog was shot and killed as it approached a deputy.

According to officers, both dogs appeared to be emaciated. One dog had a collar with part of a chain attached, the other dog had no collar.

Sumter County Animal Control will humanely euthanize the captured animal and its remains will be taken to the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to be tested for rabies.

SCSO has not released the name of the owner(s) of the dogs and the manner in which the animals were kept is still under investigation.

In a statement, Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said he is relieved the dog has been captured. “From every perspective, this is a tragic situation,” he said. 

“A woman experienced a horrific attack and sustained permanent injuries. Now we want to know why these dogs were not contained and why they were malnourished.”  

As far as any charges resulting from this incident, according to current South Carolina laws, the ordinance covering animals on the loose is found in Article 3, Section 47-7-110. It states: 

“It shall be unlawful for the owner or manager of any domestic animal of any description willfully or negligently to permit any such animal to run at large beyond the limits of his own land or the lands leased, occupied or controlled by him. Any owner, manager or person violating the provision of this provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine for each offense of not more than twenty-five dollars or to imprisonment for not more than 25 days.”

The law does not include this as an arrestable offense.

However, according to Chapter 3. Article 2, Section 47-3-110 states:

"If a person is bitten or otherwise attacked by a dog while the person is in a public place or is lawfully in a private place, including the property of the dog owner or person having the dog in the person's care or keeping, the dog owner or person having the dog in the person's care or keeping is liable for the damages suffered by the person bitten or otherwise attacked."

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