By Arwyn Rice

Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — An American bulldog that savaged an elderly woman in May was euthanized Sunday.

“The dog was euthanized earlier this afternoon,” said Mary Beth Wegener, executive director of the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society, late Sunday.

On May 27, Duke, a 9-month-old dog owned by Donald Wenzl, attacked Jenelle Vivian Gilbert, 73, at her home on Hansen Road in Port Angeles.

Wenzl, 43, is a sergeant who has worked for the past 17 years in the corrections division of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.

Law enforcement officials declared Duke to be a “dangerous dog” and he was placed on a 10-day rabies quarantine by the Humane Society.

At the end of the quarantine, he was euthanized at the request of Wenzl.

On May 27, according to the police report, Duke broke a ring on a yard stake to which he was tied while Wenzl was in his home. The dog and a Labrador retriever wandered to the elderly woman’s driveway.

Afraid of dog

Gilbert, who was walking down the driveway to get her mail, told police that Duke had once nipped her and tore her clothing, and she was afraid of the dog.

She said she attempted to run back to her house, but Duke grabbed her hand and dragged her to the ground, where he bit her to the head, both legs and both arms.

The Labrador retriever did not take part in the attack.

The attack caused severe damage to her right arm and hand, and she was treated at Olympic Medical Center.

The investigation has been turned over to Lisa Hopper, code compliance and animal control officer for the city of Sequim, to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest involving the sergeant, Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict has said.

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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.