Rebecca Frey had just pleaded guilty to one count of harboring a dangerous dog and another dog law violation against her was dismissed before District Judge Robert C. Halal.
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| Rebecca Frey says she sorry, but puts more people in danger by giving the dog to someone else. She should have put the dog to sleep. |
"I can't apologize enough," Frey told the boy's mother after the hearing had ended.
Whitehall police said Frey's dog attacked the 5-year-old boy in her Catasauqua Road home in Whitehall on May 20. The boy and his sister were at the home to play with other children there, police said.
Frey told police she was moving her dog, Ivan, into the basement, but the children went into the house before she could, police said.
Police said the boy was playing when the dog grabbed him by the throat. When officers arrived, they found that the boy suffered bites to his neck and throat and he was rushed to the hospital.
The boy's family said his injuries included a punctured eardrum, an injury to his eye and several bite wounds that required almost 50 stitches to close.
The Great Dane was removed from the house and was taken by another family member, police said.
Frey was later charged with two summary dog law violations, one for having a dangerous dog that inflicted severe injury on a human being without provocation on private property, and one for failure to confine the dog.
When she got to court Thursday, Frey first said she was pleading not guilty to both charges.
She explained to Halal that she was told that if she gave up her dog, she would not be charged.
"I didn't know this was going to be a circus," she said. "I'm taken aback by all this."
But when the summary trial was about to begin, Frey changed her mind.
She was ordered to pay a fine, plus $795 in restitution to cover the boy's medical expenses.
(The Morning Call - June 28, 2012)
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