SMITHS STATION, Ala. (WRBL) – A Smiths Station man is under arrest after deputies say he failed to quarantine his dog after the animal bit his neighbor, who ended up shooting the dog during an incident. 

40-year-old Erik Yapias of Smiths Station was arrested Tuesday, February 14th for Failure to Quarantine a Dog or Cat following a reported dog bite during a June 2022 fight. 

According to court documents a Lee County Deputy responded to Lee Road 330 about a dog roaming at large and a person bit. The deputy met with the dog’s owner, later identified as Erik Yapias, who said his dogs must’ve gotten onto the neighbor’s property due to a fence being cut.  The neighbor stated Yapias’ dog came onto his property and attacked his dog. The neighbor says he was bit on the forearm while trying to break up the dog fight, and he shot the dog when it began overtaking his dog. 

Later, a veterinarian made contact with Yapias and explained quarantine laws and requirements. The dog’s last rabies vaccination was on February 1, 2021. Deputies say multiple attempts were made to ensure proper quarantine but the owner would not cooperate. The dog was released from the vet office after being treated for the gunshot wound, and the defendant was ordered to continue the quarantine at a vet office but deputies were told he would not comply and quarantine was never completed resulting in the Misdemeanor arrest.

Animal Rabies Officers say such laws and quarantines exist to keep the public safe. Rabies is deadly if not treated immediately. The court docs don’t indicate if the dog tested positive or not. If so it would have been euthanized. WRBL is working to gather more info.