Evaluations ordered for dogs accused of attack

By Jonathan Cook

Turley Publications Reporter

WEST BROOKFIELD – Something attacked 19-pound Bailey on the night of June 23, but what did it and what injuries were caused depended on which neighbor was asked.

Bailey’s owner Rebecca Gelineau fought to get her story out through tears. She needed a break at one point and had a friend on hand to lean on and encourage her. What she described, she said, was the most horrible thing she’d ever lived though. Bailey was 12-years-old, blind and diabetic, Gelineau said.

She said she put Bailey out on a leash and within moments heard her dog crying. “I ran outside as fast as I was able to.” Outside, she said she saw the neighbor’s black Labrador savagely attacking her dog. She also saw the neighbor’s golden retriever join in on the attack. “Both dogs are over 100 pounds,” she said. “I witnessed this for probably five minutes before Bailey became unconscious. I tried everything. I kicked them with my bare feet. I was no match for those dogs.”

As a result of her efforts, she said she was bit on her foot and on her knee.

The owner of the accused dogs, Robin Dupuis, who told neighbors the night of the attack that her dogs had been responsible and that the whole matter was her fault, denied all responsibility Tuesday night.

“We did hear whining and went to check on the dogs,” Dupuis said. “They were in the back yard. And then we heard (Gelineau) screaming and we all went running out. We saw her fall. There were no other dogs around. Our dogs ran across the street when we did.”

Dupuis also said she saw Bailey walk into the house.

After that, Dupuis drove Gelineau and bailey to an emergency animal hospital in Springfield.

Dupuis explained that she initially thought her dogs were at fault because Gelineau told her they were. But after seeing the vet report that described the wounds, she said “But he was not mauled. I know one statement she made was that it took us 10 minutes to pull the dogs off of her. That was absolutely not true.”

Dog Control Officer Leak Shattuck said, “I don’t know where I stand on this. There’s only one person who saw the dogs and that person does have some inconsistencies in her story and it makes me a little uncomfortable.” Shattuck read from the vet’s report where it was noted that Gelineau called the vet and asked that the report be changed to reflect the decision to euthanize Bailey was due to brain damage that resulted from the attack. Instead, the decision was listed as due to chronic health problems. Shattuck said, “I have a lot of questions.” She added that she has never had a complaint about the accused dogs.

Shattuck then added an observation. “Because the dog had diabetes, it kind of made me question. I have a dog that had seizures occasionally. She was having a seizure. The other dogs that were around her that were usually mild mannered, nice dogs, would attack her.”

Shattuck recommended that the accused dogs should be kept on their property as a result.

Animal Inspector Barry Nadon, Sr. said it was odd that the vet, after hearing of a dog bite did not take Bailey’s head and send it off the lab to be tested for rabies, but instead sent the body home with Gelineau. Nadon said, the law requires that action.

Selectmen Barry Nadon, Jr. and Mike Frew recused themselves because Frew is a neighbor of the dog owners and Nadon’s father is the Animal Inspector.

As a result, Chairman David Eisenthal and Police Sergeant Charles Laperle decided to have the accused dogs evaluated by a dog psychologist and postponed any further action until those results are in.