Middlesboro Police Respond to Dog Bite Complaint, Victim Taken to UT for Serious Injuries

From WRIL - The Big One -

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According to the report obtained by WRIL, on Thursday July 16, 2026 at 7:37am, Middlesboro Police were dispatched to a 45th Street residence in reference to a dog bite.  

Officer Kenny Vanover made contact with the victim suffering from a serious facial wound to her lip and cheek.  The officer asked the woman what had happened and she pointed to a male brindle-colored dog standing in the roadway.

The woman went on to say she saw the dog standing in the path between her daughter in the roadway and the residence the child was attempting to enter.  Additionally, because she had never seen the dog before, she left her vehicle to escort her daughter to the residence and as they walked toward the house, the dog approached them. The woman stated she tried to “shoo the dog away” when it jumped up and bit her in the face.  

Middlesboro EMS then arrived on scene, providing medical treatment, and then transported her to Middlesboro ARH Hospital.

Officer Vanover contacted dispatch requesting assistance from Bell County Animal Shelter. The officer states that he approached the brindle-colored dog that was following a small female black dog which appeared to be in heat from the interaction between the two animals.

Both dogs traveled down the roadway toward a vehicle that had just pulled into a driveway across the street and jumped inside. According to the report, the driver became visibly upset, worried that the brindle-colored dog might bite her. Officer Vanover then grabbed the dog to remove it and it became increasingly aggressive trying to bite him.  He released it for his safety, then fired a round at the dog wounding it, and it ran away from the property.

Vanover pursued the animal as it returned to 45^th street and seeing him, it quickly fled the area.  Other officers, along with Bell County Animal Shelter personnel, searched the surrounding area for several minutes, but were unable to locate the dog.

Officer Vanover states he later responded to Middlesboro ARH, where he spoke with nursing staff telling them the dog was not found to be quarantined for observation. The hospital advised that the victim would be transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for further treatment due to the severity of her injuries. She has since returned home.

Middlesboro Police tell us that the dog was later located and taken into the custody of Bell County Animal Control.