Charges filed in St. Paul dog attack that injured 7-year-old girl

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The owner of the five dogs that attacked a 7-year-old girl in St. Paul is facing misdemeanor charges, according to court records. 

The attack happened on Feb. 8 as a 7-year-old girl was leaving her school bus stop on the 600 block of Van Burn Avenue in St. Paul. While she was walking with her parent, five dogs came from a nearby yard and attacked her. 

The girl was knocked to the ground, and her parent tried to get the dogs off her, but to no avail. Charges say the dogs continued the attack until a driver honked its horn, causing them to run off. 

The girl sustained multiple bite injuries to her head and leg, and she was transported to Children’s Hospital with significant but not life-threatening injuries, authorities previously said. 

"The dogs bit her everywhere. Her thigh, her face, her nose, her ears. It’s just, it’s ridiculous," her brother, Abdi Ahmed, previously told FOX 9.

The owner told authorities that on the day of the attack, he let his dogs outside but did not realize the gate had been left open, according to the complaint.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned the owner did not have a license for any of the five dogs, nor did he apply for a permit allowing him to own more than three dogs. The complaint said he could only provide rabies vaccine records for two dogs.

The St. Paul Animal Control took custody of the five dogs, who were declared dangerous. All five dogs were humanely euthanized, according to court records.  

The 37-year-old owner was charged via summons with four misdemeanors, including requiring a rabies vaccine and failing to restrain an animal from inflicting bodily injury to a person. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 18.