Woman whose dogs bit neighbor, cop near McHenry is ‘reckless dog owner,’ prosecutor argues

The owner of five dogs involved in a biting incident in April near McHenry should be declared a “reckless dog owner,” the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a court complaint.

Lisa Reed owned the dogs that bit two people and a sheriff’s deputy April 11. The state’s attorney’s office, along with the McHenry County Department of Health, filed the complaint in response to that incident.

In order to be deemed a reckless dog owner by the county, an owner must have three violations that include a conviction relating to dogs, a guilty plea to any offense relating to dogs, an impoundment of a dog or a settlement with an alleged violation. Reed’s attorney Tracy McGonigle said that Reed has not been convicted of three violations.

According to police and fire officials, they were called April 11 to the home in the 2500 block of Huemann Drive for a report of an aggressive dog fight. Reed and a neighbor were bitten as they tried to separate the dogs. Although the dogs had been corralled before officers arrived, three got loose while authorities were speaking to the owners and aggressively ran toward the officers. A McHenry County sheriff’s deputy shot one of the dogs after nonlethal means, including a Taser, failed to stop it from attacking and a deputy was bitten, authorities said.

The last of the dogs was located six days after the incident.

“Not only was the community in fear, but the community was at risk,” Assistant State’s Attorney Cecelia Blue said in court Thursday.

Reed’s dogs were listed in records as mixed breeds, including two American pit bull terriers, two Staffordshire bull terriers and one American bulldog. After one dog was shot and killed April 11, the other dogs were impounded by the McHenry County Animal Control and still under its care, according to court records. Reed forfeited one of her dogs May 20, according to court records.

The state’s attorney’s office and McGonigle reached a proposed settlement Thursday that would allow Reed to keep one of her dogs and surrender the other two to animal control. Reed, who now lives in Lake County, would be required to register and neuter the dog by Sept. 13. Animal control would cover the costs of microchipping and vaccinating the dog, according to court records. Reed would not be allowed to own dogs in McHenry County for three years.

The case was continued until Sept. 19, according to court records. McGonigle declined to comment Thursday.

Witnesses including McHenry County sheriff’s deputies, a neighbor and an Animal Control officer testified during the court hearing on Thursday. Neighbor Heather Eade said she saw Reed’s dogs “attacking each other and biting Lisa [Reed]” before first responders arrived.

Deputy Damandeep Bhangoo responded to the call of loose dogs April 11. He said he saw blood on Reed and a neighbor from dog bites when he arrived. The dogs were secured in the porch area by a baby gate, but the gate fell over and the dogs started to charge at him and other officers. After using his Taser, a dog bit his hand and continued to charge at Bhangoo when he used his gun to fire two shots at the dog.

“I had already been bit by one of the dogs and I was in fear of being bit more,” he said.

Police body camera footage was shown in court of Bhangoo using a Taser on and then shooting the dog. The dog could be heard yelping after shots were fired.

McHenry County Animal Control officer James Miner said he saw a dead dog on the front lawn when he arrived at the scene. He helped officers capture two dogs nearby and impounded them that day for rabies observation.