Dog owner skips out
on court appearance

The Maui man's pit bull is believed
to have attacked four people

WAILUKU » The owner of a dog that mauled a woman failed to appear in Wailuku District Court yesterday to respond to a Maui Humane Society complaint calling for the destruction of the animal.

Society officials said despite Scot Barrie's failure to respond to the complaint, they plan to move ahead today with a motion asking the court to destroy his dog.

Society Executive Director Jocelyn Bouchard said the dog, which has been held at the animal control shelter in Puunene for more than a month and a half, poses a threat to her staff.

She said her staff has been feeding the dog, cleaning its kennel and exercising it, but its behavior has been unpredictable.

The pit bull, named Faust, weighs about 90 pounds.

Society attorney David Cain said under state law, District Judge Douglas Ige has the authority to order the destruction of the dog if it has bitten two or more people.

Cain said the society believes the dog has bitten at least four people, including Sandra Sardinha, who was mauled Nov. 16 at Barrie's residence in Pukalani.

Sardinha, who was at the courthouse yesterday to find out the result of the proceedings, said she will need corrective surgery to flatten out a dip on the top of her skull where Faust ripped out several inches of her scalp.

Sardinha said she believes the Maui Humane Society is taking the right action in seeking the destruction of the dog.

Sardinha, a Haliimaile resident, said she was returning a package of children's clothes to the residence in Pukalani and resting near a wall when she was attacked by the dog for about 20 minutes.

The Maui Animal Control Board gave the dog a second chance on Dec. 1 but imposed confinement.

An animal control officer seized Faust at Barrie's residence on Dec. 3 after an inspection found an open window in the house where the dog was confined.