Two loose dogs turned a busy stretch near Sam Ridley Parkway into a crime scene on Monday, biting five people, including a Smyrna police officer, according to authorities. The chaos pulled in multiple agencies and ended with two victims taken to a hospital for evaluation while others were treated at the scene. A 19-year-old woman was transported by EMS, and an injured officer along with a teenage boy were taken to a local emergency room for treatment.
According to WSMV, Smyrna police were called around 11:15 a.m. about two aggressive dogs that had already bitten several people. Responders eventually secured the animals, which investigators say appeared to have come from neighboring La Vergne, and Rutherford County Animal Services (PAWS) has filed charges against the dogs' owner.
PAWS' authority and response
Rutherford County's Pet Adoption and Welfare Services, known as PAWS, oversees animal-control enforcement in the area and is authorized to impound animals, issue citations and investigate bite incidents. The county's rules spell out how officers can seize and impound animals and give Animal Services staff the authority to take enforcement actions after attacks. The Rutherford County PAWS rules detail those powers and procedures.
Local context
Dog-bite incidents and how they are handled are not new concerns in Rutherford County. As WSMV reported last year, residents sounded the alarm after a dog with multiple prior attacks was still not officially labeled "dangerous," a fight that exposed frustrations over tracking and enforcement.
Legal implications
Because PAWS enforces county animal rules, the agency can issue administrative citations and impound animals, but a formal "dangerous dog" designation has to come from a court. The PAWS rules define what counts as an "attack" and outline the enforcement tools available to Animal Services and law enforcement following bite incidents. Neighbors who saw Monday's incident or have video are being asked to contact Smyrna police or Rutherford County PAWS so investigators can complete their review.
