Pit bulls who attacked Lebanon girl euthanized

The two pit bulls that mauled a 12-year-old Lebanon girl in her yard two weeks ago were put down on Thursday or Friday, according to two sources close to the investigation.

The dogs had been turned over to the Animal Welfare Society in West Kennebunk soon after the attack and had cleared their rabies quarantine early last week.

Rory Downs, the dogs' owner, surrendered ownership of the dogs over to Lebanon Animal Control and State Police, who then transferred ownership to the West Kennebunk shelter.

The two seven-month old pit bulls, named Jager and Meister, jumped a back-yard enclosure and attacked the 12-year-old, a younger sister and a friend as they played nearby on April 27 at the 260 River Road address where the girl lives.

Downs, who lives at the address with his fiancée, Catherine Sargent, the mother of the bitten girl, was not at home when the attack occurred.

The girls tried to climb onto a pickup truck in the yard to escape the dogs, but the 12-year-old who was bitten couldn’t get away. She received numerous bites to her arm and neck.

Adam Horr of Dover, who was visiting a neighbor down the street, heard the girl screaming and intervened, likely saving her life, witnesses said.

The victim was treated for her injuries at Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester and is now doing fine, according to her mother.

Steve Jacobsen, the executive director of the West Kennebunk shelter, said last week the dogs would be evaluated for health and behavior in an attempt to place them with an adoptive family, but according to one source, the dogs exhibited behaviors during their stay at the shelter that led authorities to believe it would be best to have them euthanized.

Jacobsen, citing shelter policy, would not confirm today that the dogs had been destroyed.

The sources in this story asked not to be identified, because they are not officially authorized to release the information.

York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery said on Monday her office is still awaiting some additional information before they decide whether any charges may be filed in connection with last month’s attack.