One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Santa Monica Dog Walker Charged With Child Endangerment After Dog Bites 4-Year-Old Girl
(An American Staffordshire Terrier. Photo by David Robert Perez via Shutterstock)
A professional dog walker in Santa Monica has been charged with child endangerment after a 4-year-old girl was bitten in the leg by a dog.
Rebecca McGroerty, 26, was inside a home with the Staffordshire Terrier when the girl was attacked on Oct. 19, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The girl's wounds were stitched and she was released to her parents. Police said the dog's owner had instructed McGroerty to always have the dog muzzled and on a leash.
"The dog was not muzzled and off leash at the time of the attack," Sgt. Jay Moroso said in a statement.
The owner had also warned McGroerty that the dog was afraid of children and would act aggressively toward them, the Times reports. The dog walker was also told she shouldn't have anyone other than employees or residents in the home.
The 10-year-old dog was held at the Santa Monica animal control office for 10 days before being released to its owner, and is now under mandatory "muzzle restrictions," police said.
McGroerty is scheduled to be arraigned at the Airport courthouse later this month.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
