SALINE COUNTY, Ark. (KTHV) - A recent slew of vicious dog attacks has Saline County officials looking at what they can do to help the problem.

Tuesday officials met and decided the county lacked the money to fund an animal control division.

This comes after deputies said a resident's dog attacked two individuals.

"The dog or dogs apparently escaped from the pen and ended up biting a woman who's having to have surgery on her arm," said Lt. Scottie Courtney with the Saline County Sheriff's Department.

Lt. Courtney said five days earlier, the same dogs attacked a 13-year-old girl.

Officials said only three cities in the county have animal control divisions.  Any cases occurring outside those city limits are handled by the sheriff's department.

"Basically we do what we can to handle the situation," said Lt. Courtney.

He admitted deputies have no formal training in handling animals.

The owner of the dogs involved in the alleged attack are due in court mid-December.

The Saline County Humane Society, located at 7600 Bauxite Highway in Bauxite, can be reached at (501) 557-5518.

Twitter: @dan_wilkerson