Dog Days. (Exercising the right).In the late afternoon of March 27th, 12-year-old Zachary Patterson was walking to his home on a private drive in Harpswell, Maine Harpswell is a town in Cumberland County Maine which is geographically within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. The town is composed of land contiguous with the rest of Cumberland County, as well as a several large and small islands, including Great Island, Orr's Island, and Bailey , when he noticed a neighbor's dog standing in the drive. The large pit bull terrier pit bull terrier or Staffordshire terrier Dog breed developed in 19th-century Britain for fighting other dogs in pits. It was created by crossing the bulldog (which at the time was longer-legged and more agile) with a terrier, possibly the fox terrier. had menaced him and his mother before, and had once bitten the latter (her injuries were not serious). Zachary began yelling yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. and running toward the house, with the dog in hot pursuit. Ramona Patterson, 32, heard the commotion, and when she rushed to assist her son the dog turned on her. This time, however, she was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. As the dog approached, barking viciously and nipping nip·ping adj. 1. Sharp and biting, as the cold. 2. Bitingly sarcastic. nip  ping·ly adv.Adj. at her, she fired a single shot, knocking the animal to the ground. It crawled to a nearby snow bank and died. Harpswell's acting animal control officer, Dick Wyer, told the Portland Press Herald The Portland Press Herald (and Maine Sunday Telegram; collectively known as The Portland Newspapers) publish daily newspapers every day of the week in Portland, Maine, USA. for March 29th that the dog "had a considerable history," and that the "town itself was going for a dangerous dog decree on him, but hadn't got around to it yet." Patterson, who had clearly acted in defense of herself and her son, was not charged. The dog's owner, however, was charged with keeping a dangerous dog and allowing it to run loose. |
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