SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) -
A two-page Consent Order and Judgement signed by Chatham County Superior Court Judge Louisa Abbot forbids a dog from living in Chatham County.
Oreo, the American Bulldog who's been at the center of controversy since Jan. 29, after biting a 6-year-old girl, "shall not be allowed to live within Chatham County for the remainder of his lifetime," according to the order. The document also states Oreo shall "be taken to a local veterinary clinic and to be neutered".
This decision is one Oreo's owner, Michael Wooten, is not happy to hear.
Wooten said, "If my dog bit one person and he has to do all of that, get [neutered] and be out of Chatham County, I think every dog in Chatham County dog pound right now that bit somebody [should get the] same thing."
But neighbors in the Little Neck Plantation Community are glad Oreo won't be back.
"We never wanted the dog to be put down. We're not that kind of people. We just wanted it out of our neighborhood and for our family and property to be safe," said neighbor Lorraine Coy.
Wooten's not only upset about the judge's decision, but he's also angry at his dog's attorney, Mareesa Torres. He said she mislead him and his family and will not return any of their phone calls. Michael's wife, Patricia, shares her husband anger, saying now their 6-year-old daughter is devastated.
"She said Friday, 'I'm going to have my dog back. I'm going to have a big celebration welcoming home Oreo,' because the lawyer made it seem like he's [Oreo] coming home this Friday, but now he's not," Patricia Wooten said.
Michael Wooten said, "Now we're finding out that behind our back, the second day we hired her, she had it in her documents that the dog was supposed to be neutered and taken out of Chatham County. She never gave us that."
Torres said she is looking out for the best interest of the dog and wanted to do everything possible to get the dog out of Animal Control so it would not be put down. She says she has been totally up front with the Wootens.
Michael Wooten said he's looking to go further with Oreo's case and even plans to go after the dog's attorney. Wooten also said he didn't sign any paperwork turning the American Bulldog over to The Lexus Project, the organization representing the dog.
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