POLAND Woman says her dogs aren't vicious animals

Police said the woman's dogs attacked a student last week in Poland Woods.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- A village woman told Struthers Court Judge James R. Lanzo that she is innocent of accusations of allowing her five dogs, labeled as vicious, to roam at large in Poland Woods.
Carol Coleman of Massachusetts Avenue was arraigned Friday on charges of having vicious dogs at large. Police said Coleman's five or six mixed-breed dogs attacked a Poland Seminary High School student while the student was jogging in Poland Woods early last week, causing minor injuries.
If found guilty of the misdemeanor charge she could face 30 days in jail and more than $250 in fines. No court date has been set.
Neighbors' opinions: Some other residents in Coleman's neighborhood, however, do not see a problem with the dogs. Joe Sause, 21 Massachusetts Ave., said he has not seen the dogs running free through the neighborhood. He said the animals have not caused him any problems.
David Steiner, 20 Massachusetts Ave., who walks his dog through the neighborhood regularly, said he doesn't see the need for six dogs in one house, but said he has not experienced any problems with the Coleman dogs. He said the problems stem from Coleman allowing the dogs to roam freely in the woods.
"I don't see any problems in the neighborhood here because when they are at the house they are fenced in and they bark and stuff, but they can't get out or anything," he said. "But, she goes down to Poland Woods and lets them run down there."
Other problems: According to police, it is in the woods where Coleman gets into trouble with the animals. Besides allegedly biting the high school student last week, the dogs have been blamed for other incidents in the woods.
Village police Officer Don Lambert said Coleman faced similar charges in 2000 after three of her dogs chased a 21-year-old jogger in Poland Woods. One dog bit the man.
Lambert said Coleman was placed on probation, fined, made to carry $100,000 in liability insurance on the animals and told to install a 6-foot kennel with a fenced top. He said Coleman also made an agreement with the police department to keep the dogs out of the woods.
According to Lambert, Coleman never installed the kennel and the dogs have again been seen unrestrained in the woods, leading to last Tuesday's attack. He said there have also been two claims made against Coleman's insurance for infractions involving the dogs.
Explanation: Sue Kishel, a friend of Coleman's, said both incidents where the insurance agency was contacted can be easily explained. She said in one instance a young boy was bitten by a large dog that lives in the area and often runs free. Coleman's dogs, she said, were blamed for the attack.
In another situation, Kishel said a young girl walked into the Coleman home unannounced and without knocking. She said the girl was "scratched" by one of the dogs.
Coleman's insurance agency, said Kishel, did handle the two claims, then canceled the policy. She said Coleman is now unable to get insurance on the animals.
According to Kishel, Coleman's natural love for everyone and everything extends to the dogs. She said Coleman has said she will go to jail so long as authorities do not destroy her dogs.
jgoodwin@vindy.com