By Greg Ellison

(July 29, 2021) Berlin Mayor Zach Tyndall is on the mend after being attacked by a pair of loose dogs last Thursday morning in Salisbury.

Tyndall, who serves as an instructor at Salisbury University, was on campus after receiving a bi-weekly covid-19 test when tragedy struck.

“I was outside and rounding the turn of one building and then I was attacked by two dogs off their leash,” he said. “I had two dogs on top of me.”

Tyndall said the canines’ owner was nearby and attempted to pull the dogs away after he got free but was only partially successful.

“Once they attacked me, I was able to get them off and then the owner came over and attempted to get the dogs under control,” he said. “Then one of them managed to escape her control and come over and attack me a second time.”

The attack left Tyndall with left leg muscle damage, with the animals subsequently placed under quarantine by the Wicomico County Health Department.

Tyndall said it’s difficult to speculate what was going through the dog owner’s mind while allowing their aggressive dogs free rein in public.

“I’ve had dogs my entire life and the important thing is that if you’re not in a fenced-in backyard or property, then your animal really needs to be on a leash,” he said. “They are animals, so you do need to keep them on a leash.”

Although the incident occurred in Salisbury, Tyndall said the same cautionary advices apply in Berlin or elsewhere.

“Berlin does have a leash law and pet owners should have their animals vaccinated and remain up-to-date on those vaccinations,” he said.

Tyndall hopes the unfortunate event provides an educational moment for dog owners.

After news of the attack spread, Tyndall said a wealth of well-wishers made contact.

“The community continues to reach out and wish me well and that means a lot more than I could ever express,” he said. “It was not a fun experience nor anything that I was expecting.”