"A terrible tragedy, a baby died. It doesn't get any worse than that," said the dog's new owner, Bill Uhring. "But then we heard the story that the dog was adopted a few weeks back (and had) a broken leg. It wasn't this dog's fault."
The dog, Niko, was removed from the home on Scott Street, along with a pit bull, after police said it bit 2-day-old Howard Nicholson in the head Feb. 16.
McKeesport police said the boy's mother had been in another room when she went into the living room and saw the Husky hovering over her baby, then noticed the newborn's head injuries.
District Attorney Stephen Zappala told Channel 4 Action News the mother will not be charged.
Channel 4 Action News' Sheldon Ingram reported that Niko has a broken leg and was wearing what appeared to be a homemade contraption at the time.
Uhring said he was told by the owner that the leg contraption was applied by a veterinarian, but he's not so sure.
"(The owner) couldn't show us receipts or names or anything like that," he said.
Uhring has since made sure the dog got an appropriate cast.
McKeesport Animal Control said Uhring paid more than $600 to have the Husky and a second dog -- a pit bull -- released.
Both dogs were removed from the home because, according to the city ordinance, a household in McKeesport can have up to two dogs in it, but there were four dogs living at the home where Nicholson was bitten.
"The dog catcher said (Niko) was at the bottom of the feeding chain, as far as feeding goes, so it was inevitable that it was going to happen," said Uhring.
The pit bull went back to its home on Scott Street, but Uhring decided to keep the Husky and give the dog a new name, Helo, for a new beginning.
"The dog was put in a situation that it shouldn't have been in, as was the baby. And we thought, the dog doesn't need to die," said Uhring.
Helo joins another husky and a lab at Uhring's home.
(WTAE - February 22, 2012)
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