By Merle Monahan

The Tidewater News

The fate of a pit bull blamed for attacking a Windsor-area woman on Nov. 16 will not be determined for 30 days.

Isle of Wight County General District Court Judge W. Parker Councill on Thursday continued the hearing until Jan. 6, to give the dog owner’s attorney and Animal Control Chief Wilbur Sullivan a chance to evaluate the animal to determine if it should be considered dangerous.

The canine has been in quarantine at the animal shelter since the attack.

Sullivan said the pit bull would be evaluated in compliance with state requirements, although the dog has shown no signs of aggression while at the shelter.

“The law requires that we do this,” he said. “We also want to come to a suitable solution for all parties.”

The dog is owned by Lawrence Milhouse, 15, who resides with his parents, Rick and Lori Milhouse. The Milhouses live next door to Jane Ashe, who said she was attacked while attempting to bring her Jack Russell Terrier from her car into her home on Peanut Drive.

The 76-year-old has said the pit bull knocked her down and got on top of her. A neighbor ran over and fought the dog off with a stick. When the dog came back, the neighbor found a rope, tied it around the 40-pound dog’s neck and secured the animal.

Ashe was flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she was treated and released. She suffered bruises and gashes on her right arm and a gash requiring multiple stitches on the back of her head.

The Milhouse family was not at home when the alleged attack occurred, but Lori Milhouse said the dog was chained when she left home. She said she has no idea how he got loose.

Lori Milhouse added that regardless of the outcome, she would not allow the dog to return to her home.