Rottweilers Attack Couple in Waldoboro (Waldobor, ME)

[Rene Allegrini]

Dogs off leash attack couple.

A pair of Rottweiler dogs attacked a woman and her husband on Sunday afternoon as they were looking at property for sale on Controversy Lane in Waldoboro. Cindy Sirois, of Gardiner, told selectmen on Tuesday night that her husband was still being treated for serous puncture wounds. She also said the town’s Animal Control Officer, Bill Bragg, was less than helpful. A call to 911 finally unearthed Bragg, who could not be bothered with the incident at the time, said Sirois.

She said if she were the town, she’d have a “really strong issue” contracting someone like Bragg “to provide a very serious service.”

“My husband stepped in front of me,” said Sirois, describing the attack. When she heard something rustling behind her she turned around, only to see two attack dogs racing toward them.

Wayne Sirois stepped in front of his wife and raised his arm in front of his face. The dogs bit his arm, knocked him to the ground, and proceeded to bite him on his back and upper thigh.

The dogs’ owner, George Fernald, eventually called the dogs off but made no immediate effort to secure them, said Sirois. She told selectmen on Tuesday night that despite several requests, Fernald hesitated to call 911, instead offering to drive them to the hospital.

Sirois and her husband had turned the corner from Controversy Lane to Stagecoach Lane, walking down the road looking for the fourth property corner marker of the lot.

The corner property belongs to Wayne Brown and is for sale.

Town Manager Lee Smith said, “The situation will be investigated by the police chief. I have the deepest amount of sympathy [for Sirois] and understand the frustration they must have felt.”

Smith added, however, that the ACO position is a part time position and that both a regular uniformed Waldoboro police officer and the town’s ambulance service responded to the incident.

On Wednesday morning, however, it was still unclear if Bragg or anyone else on the Waldoboro Police Department had issued a summons to George Fernald, the owner of the Rottweilers.

Nothing about the Sunday, Sept 24 incident appeared in the Waldoboro Police Report issued on Tuesday, two days after the incident. Other events for that day were however listed as under investigation, and consisted primarily of reported gas drive offs.

Sirois said that she also had difficulty getting paperwork on the dogs, to see that their rabies vaccinations were up to date.

Fernald reportedly said the paperwork was in Warren, where he used to live. Sirois told selectmen that a call to Warren Animal Control Officer Larry Reed found that Fernald had problems with the dogs in Warren, and was under a court order to have them on a secure leash at all times.

“It didn’t take me a whole lot to find out that information,” said Sirois, questioning why neither Bragg nor Waldoboro Police Chief Leroy Jones seemed to know anything about it.

Sirois said that there are a number of dogs roaming the roads in the Controversy Lane area, and that on a recent drive she had to stop her car to keep from hitting them. Sirois reported to selectmen that property owner Wayne Brown has registered a number of complaints about the dogs over the months but the problem remains an issue.

Sirois told selectmen that when she asked Bragg about the complaints he said, “I’ve dealt enough with Wayne Brown and I’m not dealing with him anymore.”

Sirois indicated that she was not impressed with the ACO’s attitude.

“I tell my husband he needs to be thankful it was his elbow. It could have been the face of a three year old,” said Sirois, raising concerns for the children who live in the area.

"It’s intolerable this ever be duplicated,” said Selectman Ted Wooster.

“You’ve got a good mill rate. I’d hate to see it go up,” said Sirois, who still hopes to relocate to the area despite the incident.

Waldoboro Police Chief Leroy Jones reported late Wednesday morning that the police department issued a summons to Fernald charging him with the keeping of dangerous dogs. He also said the police located a facility in Bath in which to keep the Rottweilers in quarantine. The animal shelter in Edgecomb was not equipped to handle the dogs, said Jones.

Waldoboro police also confirmed a pending case against Fernald in Rockland, involving failure to restrain his dogs during a similar incident. After getting records from Knox County, Jones said Fernald could face additional charges.

A court date of Dec. 13 has been assigned to the case.

Lincoln County News

[hokisteph5]

While I'm not real impressed with Cindy Sirois, this is another instance of a bad owner who's ruining this breed's reputation. He had difficulty providing the paperwork, didn't have his dogs on a leash, didn't immediately call them off or even secure them, etc.

When it comes to the paperwork, I may not have it immediately accessible at home, but I've had my current vet for almost 13 years. All someone would need to do was call them up and get verification that my dogs are, in fact, up to date on all their shots.

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

This happened on "Controversy Lane" How ironic!

[TJK291]

What is your problem with Cindy Sirois?

[Rubyhead]

Yeah, what's the problem with Cindy Sirois?
hokisteph5, are you there?