The Oxford dog breeder whose Newfoundlands allegedly killed a Labrador plans to plead not guilty to all the misdemeanor charges for the attack, according to her attorney, Ralph Crozier.
Crozier, in an interview Monday, disputed parts of the town’s version of the incident, which happened on July 26 at Jackson Cove Park.
Town Park and Recreation workers said four Newfoundlands attacked a leashed, aging Labrador at the park. The Labrador later died at the veterinary office. The Labrador’s owner was also bitten during the attack.
The owner of the Newfoundlands, Vickie Tkacz, was charged with several misdemeanors on Friday and is scheduled to appear at Superior Court in Derby on Aug. 18.
Tkacz was charged with obstructing the duty of an animal control officer, two counts of failure to obey a quarantine order, four counts of allowing dogs to roam, and four counts of animal nuisance.
Crozier claims the Labrador started the attack by growling at the Newfoundlands.
He also says only two of the four dogs attacked the Labrador, contrary to what town officials and police said.
“The Labrador was 11 and had sight and hearing problems,” Crozier said. “It was on a leash, but it was not being held. It heard the other animals, and it maybe made a growling noise to tell people they are there, to protect its owner. If it couldn’t hear and see well, it made a mistake by growling in front of (large) dogs. The front two dogs pulled out of the youths’ hands, and for that, it’s a tragic thing. Nobody wanted it to happen.”
Sandy Merry, the town’s Animal Control Officer, said Crozier’s version of the story does not comply with the evidence shown in the video footage from park cameras.
“If you ever saw it it would break your heart,” Merry said of the videotape.
Merry declined further comment on the incident.
James J. Severson, who owned the dog that his son Patrick had brought to the park that day, disagreed with Crozier’s statement that Roxi was hard of hearing or visually impaired.
“The dog was in perfect health,” he said.
As to whether Roxi was not being held, as Crozier claimed, Severson said he will leave that up to the surveillance video to show the truth.
“This will all come out in court,” Severson said. “Roxi was the most docile animal you can ever meet,” he said.
Dogs In Custody
The Oxford animal control officer has four Newfoundlands in quarantine.
Crozier said none of those dogs were involved in last week’s attack — that the two dogs that attacked the Labrador were given to a new owner out of state that same day.
Merry wouldn’t comment on whether the dogs in quarantine were the ones involved in the attack.
The four dogs in custody include two nursing mothers with puppies left needing milk, Crozier said.
He said he was considering filing a lawsuit against the town, if the nursing dogs are not immediately returned.
A call to Tkacz was not returned Monday, but Crozier said she was feeling very badly about the incident, and that she had paid the doctor’s bills for the Labrador owner who was injured.
“She is extremely upset about what transpired, and is very upset about the passing of this Labrador mix dog,” Crozier said. “She is very much a dog lover and nobody wants any animal to be harmed. She certainly did not want it to be harmed.”
Oxford Resident State Trooper, Sgt. Daniel Semosky, said the incident is still under investigation.
