Judge decides fate of Hilton Head dog, 2 months after woman was seriously injured

A blind pit bull involved in a Sept. 25 attack on Hilton Head Island that left a woman with serious injuries was deemed not dangerous Monday by a Beaufort County magistrate judge.

The future of Bonnie Blue, a 5-year-old pit bull, was put into question last week following a Nov. 15 hearing to determine if her actions fell under county code that determines whether an animal is dangerous.

If deemed dangerous, the animal’s owner must securely confine the animal to a home or a securely enclosed and locked pen or kennel, with the exception of when the animal is on a leash.

The pen or kennel must be clearly marked as containing a dangerous animal and have a secure top attached to the sides. While on a leash, the animal must be muzzled and the leash must be no longer than six feet.

The dog’s owner must also provide Beaufort County Animal Services with proof of liability insurance or surety bond of at least $50,000, obtain a dangerous animal registration or license from BCAS and pay a $5 registration fee.

Bonnie was one of two dogs involved in the attack that left Mallory Keller severely injured while she was staying at a Hilton Head home.

Keller had been pet sitting for her roommate’s six dogs, all of whom are rescues, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report. Because the dogs did not always get along, they were kept in separate rooms blocked by short gates.

When Bonnie got too close to the gate, Keller said in court, she reached across the gate in order to pull Bonnie and another dog apart when the pit bull bit her wrist.

Another dog - a male named Harley - grabbed Keller’s leg and continued to bite Keller, according to Ashley Yonkoski, a witness who saw the incident unfold. Yonkoski said in court that Bonnie bit Keller only once.

Harley, whose owner Monica Collins described as a Labrador-mix, was put to sleep.

“I decided to put down Harley on my own accord,” Collins said last week. “I knew the damage he did wasn’t OK.”

Collins also owns Bonnie and said she does not believe the dog is a danger to others.

The attack left Keller with severe lacerations to her right wrist and right calf and other deep bite wounds on her legs and arms. She was rushed to emergency surgery at Hilton Head Hospital before being moved to a rehabilitation facility.

Chief Magistrate Lawrence McElynn wrote in his decision that the county failed to provide a preponderance of evidence that Bonnie made an unprovoked attack when she bit Keller.

“I find that the victim, Mallory Keller, accidentally and unintentionally struck Bonnie Blue in the face, as the victim was falling after tripping over a gate in the residence where the animal is confined,” McElynn wrote. “... I further find that the owner of Bonnie Blue had no reason to know or reasonably know that Bonnie Blue has a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals.”

McElynn added that he based his decision on on absence of reporting any aggressive behavior on Bonnie before the incident.

“Bonnie has pretty much imprinted on me because I am her safety,” Collins said. “She’s just like any other dog. She snuggles under the covers, she hangs out with me, she chews on bones. She doesn’t know she has a disability, and she acts just like any other dog would act.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Judge decides fate of Hilton Head dog, 2 months after woman was seriously injured."