Posted on: Thursday, April 7, 2005

Dog involved in attack killed

Advertiser Staff

WAILUKU, Maui — The Maui Humane Society yesterday euthanized a 90-pound pit bull that mauled a woman Nov. 16 at a Pukalani home.

It was "sad but necessary" to euthanize the pit bull because of its history of viciousness, said Aimee Anderson, the agency's animal control director.

The blue-nosed American Staffordshire terrier named Faust had been in the agency's care since Dec. 3, when owner Scott Barrie allegedly was found in violation of Maui County Animal Control Board orders to properly confine the animal after the attack.

In January, the Humane Society filed a petition in Wailuku District Court to destroy the animal, but Barrie hired an attorney to fight the request, Anderson said. He later agreed to let the animal be euthanized in exchange for not having to reimburse the Humane Society for Faust's upkeep and attorney and court fees, Anderson said.

In the November attack, the pit bull attacked a 46-year-old woman who was sitting on a rock wall on Barrie's property, tearing off a chunk of her scalp and causing other injuries. Anderson said the dog was involved in at least one other attack.

Barrie still faces county charges of dangerous dog noncompliance, which carries a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail, and a dog bite violation, which carries a maximum $500 fine.

Anderson said that although the Humane Society agreed not to push the dog owner for reimbursement now, if Barrie is convicted, the agency will request that his sentence include restitution for its expenses.