Ruling to Euthanize 2 Plainfield Dogs in Attack of Health Worker Upheld

A state officer upheld a ruling to euthanize two dogs accused of mauling a health worker while she was on duty, the court announced. 

“I find there is substantial evidence in the record that both dogs bit Ms. Denning and therefore.. affirm both the disposal orders on the dogs,” Bruce Sherman, director of regulations and inspection for the state Department of Agriculture said in his ruling.

“Substantial evidence in the record establishes that ... Ms. Denning suffered an unprovoked and vicious dog bite attack.”

Police said Lynne Denning, of Canterbury, was viciously attacked by two to four dogs at 379 Putnam Road, in the Wauregan Village, of Plainfield while she was caring for an elderly patient in December 2014.

Denning "suffered brutal injuries" to her face, chest, arms and legs and has undergo at least 13 surgeries in the months after the attack, according to police and family members.

Town officials confiscated five Rottweilers and a Labrador from the home. The dogs, which were all present at the time of the attack, were quarantined at the Plainfield Animal Shelter.

Days later, officials announced plans to euthanize the dogs but said in August 2015 they were unable to prove four of the dogs took part in the attack and opted to return them to their owners, Jenna Allen and Corey Beakey. 

Allen, 29, and Beakey, 29, both of Plainfield, turned themselves into police last September. 

Allen was charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree, two counts of possession of a nuisance dog and five counts of failure to comply with dog license requirements.

Beakey was charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree.

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