Girl airlifted after pit bull pack attack

UPDATE, MARCH 12– Jeffery D. Shelby, 37, 2510 Middle Bridge Road, has been issued a citation by the Hardin County Sheriff's Department on a charge of "dogs at large."

The citation states  that "three pit bulls attacked two horses and one of the riders fell and was injured. The dogs attacked the riders' dogs that was with them. The injured girl was Allison Walker."

Shelby is to appear in Hardin County General Sessions Court on April 6 at 9 a.m.

Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis is vowing to implement an animal control program in the 2010-2011 fiscal year budget, if not sooner. Currently, only Savannah provides animal control services for its residents.

However, the Hardin County Commission has allocated $125,000 for animal control the past two years, but with the exception of buying a pickup truck for the proposed department, has taken no other action to put in place an actual program to deal with strays and vicious dogs.

Animal control "will be in the upcoming budget. My prayers and thoughts go to the family," Davis said.

Local residents have made numerous comments on The Courier's Facebook page about the incident and the lack of animal control in Hardin County.

Kristi Pipes posted: "The animal control in hardin county is HORRIBLE.....i have called numerous times and can't get anything done....i have 2 small children who can't go outside because of pacts of dogs!!!!!!! something should be done!!!!!!!!"

March 10– A young teenage girl is at Vanderbilt Medical Center with a serious head injury after the horse she was riding was reportedly attacked by pit bulls yesterday afternoon.

The victim, Allison Walker, has opened her eyes, a friend said, but has a difficult road ahead.

A woman with Walker at the hospital said there is "a story that probably needs to be told," but declined further comment at this time.

According to a Hardin County Sheriff’s Department report, Walker and 14-year-old Grace Griffin of Savannah were riding horses on Middle Bridge Road with her three dogs when three pit bulls started attacking her dogs and the horses.

The horses spooked and Walker fell off and hit the pavement.

Griffin told a deputy sheriff she was screaming for help when a woman from a house at 2510 Middle Bridge Road came to their aid. The woman reportedly chained one of the pit pulls to the front porch and put the other two dogs in a pen at the back of the residence.

Local First Responder Chuck Vineyard was the first to arrive at the scene, and said he was initially afraid of being bitten as he tried to render medical assistance.

"When the situation was going on, all I saw was dogs everywhere," he said. "There was a lot going on."

The Sheriff’s Department says the woman who chained the dogs refused to come to the door to answer a deputy’s questions.

It is unclear who owns the pit bulls, and authorities are continuing to investigate.