LYNN – An early morning dog attack took place at the Cook Street Playground Wednesday.
Animal Control officer Kevin Farnsworth said a Beacon Hill Avenue resident was walking her dog in the park around 8:30 a.m. when another man and his reported pit bull lunged at the pair.
?One witness said the man?s dog, that fit the description of a pit bull, bit her on her hand and then attacked her dog,” he said. “Then the guy scooped up the dog and basically disappeared into the sunset because we haven?t been able to find him.”
Farnsworth said he was at the park within minutes of receiving a call that an attack had occurred, and found several police cruisers at the scene searching for the dog and its owner.
?An off duty police officer, who happens to be the woman?s landlord, heard her screams and ran outside to help and maced the dog,” he said. “The guy just took off after that.”
According to a witness, the dog in question was wearing a red harness or a collar and was not on a leash at the time of the attack.
The attack is the first in several months according to Farnsworth, who said the unusually rainy summer season could be the reason.
?Oh, I?ve definitely seen worse summers,” he said. “And this past spring we had a number of incidents. Obviously this is a problem that we deal with a lot.”
The victim?s name has not yet been released. Farnsworth said she refused to be taken by ambulance to Union Hospital and went there on her own for an evaluation.