Rabies test negative on dog involved in attacks at Harbison State Forest, 2nd dog remains unfound
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Following two separate dog attacks at Harbison State Forest, officials with the Department of Public Health have confirmed to the South Carolina Forestry Commission that a rabies test on one of the animals involved came back negative.
ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams spoke with the SC Forestry Commission’s Madeline Stewart Wednesday afternoon.
“Have you seen dog attacks here before?” asks Williams.
“Not that anyone can recall — which a lot of people over at headquarters and in the state forest have worked here for decades — and no one can recall anything like this happening before,” says Stewart.
The first reported attack happened on July 11th, when a 19-year-old was chased by two aggressive dogs inside the park.
The teenager called his family, –his sister and mother using his phone’s location to come and help him.
The second attack took place the following day on July 12th — when Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday was viciously mauled while jogging by what are believed to be the same two dogs before a friend showed up and helped run them off.
“So that was the second instance we saw that these two dogs we believe were involved in both of these attacks, attacked one single person and then kind of went away once other people came,” says Stewart.
Forest Rangers set up trail cameras — patrolling the area on foot and with drones to find the duo — one described as black, the other brown, and both possible pit bull mixes.
Stewart says a local land owner’s relative was able to shoot and kill the black dog after it viciously attacked their goats last week.
“The black dog that was shot and killed and is being tested for rabies (now confirmed as negative) has been identified as a female dog. We’re not sure what the brown dog is, but the female black dog that’s been killed is believed to be the alpha in that dynamic. And according to animal control experts in the area, they’re really hopeful the brown dog’s behavior has changed a little bit since it doesn’t have its partner now that it was executing those attacks with and also potentially doesn’t have the alpha,” says Stewart.
Stewart confirmed that the black dog did not have a microchip.
The park will remain closed until at least Friday — with the brown dog still on the loose.
“With that one remaining dog still not found yet, we do have law enforcement officers patrolling the state forest as well as Harbison State Forest staff and personnel checking the traps throughout the day regularly,” says Stewart.
Richland County Animal Control has also set up additional traps outside of the state forest near some neighborhoods as well in hopes of catching the rogue dog.
