HUBBARD TWP., Ohio - A Hubbard Township woman is calling for a change in Ohio law after one of her dogs is attacked by another dog.

She blames a neighbor for not restraining that dog asking who those laws actually protect.

The dog's owner has been cited in both of those attacks, but Shawna Achten says she wants more to be done to protect her own dogs and everyone else.

Her mini dachshund peanut was nearly killed in the July 31 attack.

Achten blames a neighbor's pit bull, seen in surveillance video from her Hubbard Township home.

"Neighbors are coming out with their guns to help us take our dogs outside," Achten said.

She believes the pit bull should've never been allowed to roam free after another attack July 7th, where a man was bitten trying to restrain the pit after police say it bit another dog.

"They say it has to be three attacks or it has to actually kill someone or something," said Achten. "The only laws protect them, they don't protect us or our dogs."

Hubbard Township Police say they can cite owners for dogs running at large, not being licensed, and for not having up to date shots.
Ohio only allows townships the ability to pass resolutions to control dogs under certain conditions.

"It could be labeled as either a dangerous dog, the definition there is without provocation if it attacks or attempts to bite," said Police Chief Todd Coonce. "Then there's also the vicious dog where a person has been seriously injured or even killed and there are other certain elements once a dog is defined as that that they have to follow."

Outside of that, the Trumbull County Dog Warden has jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Achten says she's hoping what happened to her and her dog will be the beginning of change so that no other dogs in her neighborhood get hurt.

21 News reached out to the dog warden's office and the dog's owner - but did not hear back.