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Pit bull that mauled 5-year-old will be put down

Dog’s owner agrees to let it be euthanized after it mauled his young daughter.

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By Richard Wilson, Staff Writer Updated 12:47 PM Wednesday, July 15, 2009

HAMILTON — The owner of a pit bull that attacked his 5-year-old daughter has agreed to let the dog be euthanized, Butler County Dog Warden Julie Holmes said Tuesday, July 14.

Payton Tunstall remains hospitalized while Hamilton police investigators decide whether to bring any charges against her parents. The child’s condition is not being released.

The girl suffered multiple injuries Monday morning, July 13, to her head, face, legs and arms and was taken by medical helicopter in serious condition to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The only adult home at the time of the attack was the child’s mother, who also was bitten, police said.

The father, 35-year-old Chris Tunstall, who owns the dog named “Monster,” was not home when it got loose from a locked pen and attacked his daughter, Holmes said.

The dog, which was properly licensed and appeared to be well cared for, was impounded without incident and was actually wagging its tail, Holmes said.

Holmes said it appeared Tunstall was making an effort to comply with the state’s “vicious dog” confinement law, but the chain link fence may have been inadequate to keep the dog.

“If any good comes out of this, people need to be more aware with their children around dogs, because any dog can bite,” Holmes said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.

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