Lawsuit: Emotional support dog mauls 5-year-old girl at Portland airport
Gabriella Gonzalez sustained serious facial injuries from the attack. (Courtesy of Chad Stavley via FOX News)
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The mother of a 5-year-old girl mauled by a pit bull at Portland International Airport has filed a $1.1 million lawsuit against the Port of Portland for allegedly letting a dangerous "emotional support animal" into the airport without a carrier.
The Oregonian reports the lawsuit filed by Mirna Gonzalez lists two other defendants: the dog's owner, Michelle Brannan, and Alaska Airlines.
The suit claims Brannan should have known that her dog had "vicious propensities."
The suit says the airline is at fault for allegedly allowing Brannan to bring a dangerous dog into the gate waiting area, where the attack happened, when the dog wasn't a trained service animal and wasn't properly confined.
“As a result of the incident, Gabriella Gonzalez suffered injury to the muscles, tendons, bones, nerves and soft tissue of her face, eye, eyelid, tear duct and lip, as well as emotional trauma,” the lawsuit reads.
Brannan couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday. Alaska Airlines declined comment, citing pending litigation.
Port of Portland spokeswoman Kama Simonds declined comment on the specifics of the case.