A Georgia pit bull accused of attacking a 5-year-old boy last summer has been appointed legal representation, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The dog, named Kno, assaulted Wesley Frye last year while the boy was playing inside his home. Frye's injuries required two surgeries, and the right side of his face remains paralyzed.
Immediately after the attack, Kno's owners, Larry A. Long Jr. and Julie Long, brought the dog to an animal shelter and relinquished ownership.
With a hearing set for Oct. 25 to determine whether the dog should be euthanized, Judge William E. Woodrum Jr. appointed attorney Claude M. Kicklighter to represent Kno. Woodrum said the appointment was "in the interest of justice," and the work will be pro bono.
Bruce Wagman, a San Francisco attorney specializing in animal cases, told Reuters that he knew of only two cases in which animals had received legal counsel. One of those instances was NFL star Michael Vick's 2007 trial for participating in an extensive dogfighting ring.
(H/T to The Huffington Post)
