ONG Worker Bitten By Dog, All Pets Removed From OKC Couple's Home

Jacqueline Sit, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A utility worker is pressing charges against the owners of a pack of dogs after he crossed into the family's property and was bitten by their pet.

The pet owners say this could cause them to lose their dogs for good.

Stephen Hughes and Ashley Smith say they were at home Monday morning when an ONG contractor unexpectedly jumped over a fence into their backyard. One of the couple's dogs bit him.

The utility worker says he knocked on the door. The couple says that's not true because they would have heard it. Now they're fighting to get their dogs back.

"We got several tickets on Tuesday from animal welfare for dangerous animals and we got a note that the utility worker will be pressing charges against us," Hughes said.

Hughes said the dogs had to be taken to an animal shelter to be quarantined for 10 days after the attack.

Now that the worker is pressing charges against the owners, they will have to go to court to prove their pets are not vicious.

"They're the sweetest and playful dogs you can ever meet but if a stranger jumps into their yard, they will get territorial. It's their job to protect us in our home," Smith said.

The owners say they don't know if and when they'll get to see their pets.

"We went to the animal shelter to visit them and we're not allowed to see them. This is really hard for us. We don't know what will happen to them and I hope we'll get to see them again," Hughes said.

ONG spokesperson Don Sherry says the company is not pursuing any action but the utility worker is pressing charges as an individual. Sherry says by the worker's account, he had knocked on the door but there was no response. He then climbed the fence to check the meter and that's when he saw four dogs, including a Rottweiler and a pit bull. The worker says he was attacked by one of the dogs and had to jump the fence to escape.

The ONG contractor was treated and released for puncture wounds. He is believed to be back at work.