Ryan Hewitt, 9, was playing at Hardwick Heath in Bury St Edmunds on Sunday, June 10, when the dog - which was on a lead - bit him on the leg at about 3.10pm, causing him to fall off his bike.
The bite pierced the youngster’s jeans and skin and he was taken to Bury’s West Suffolk Hospital where he was given antibiotics.
Police have been trying to identify the owner of the dog, which has been described as a chocolate brown Labrador, and are continuing their appeal for information.
The owner has been described as a man in his 40s, about 5ft 8ins tall with a large build and dark, medium length hair and may have been driving a silver Lexus.
He apparently ran away after the incident without knowing how seriously his dog had injured Ryan, who lives with his mother in Cambridgeshire.
Ryan’s father Clive, who lives near Hardwick Heath, said he was “absolutely fuming” over what had happened.
The 35-year-old, who works for St Edmundsbury Borough Council as a grave digger, had a message for the dog owner: “If you read this, you know who you are, just come forward.”
He said it was “disgusting he didn’t stay to make sure Ryan was okay”.
He added: “If you have got any common courtesy or decency come forward.”
Mr Hewitt’s wife Alli had been only metres away in the Hardwick Heath car park when Ryan was bitten.
The youngster told her ‘I’m not riding my bike any more,’ she said ‘why’ and he replied: ‘because I have been bitten’.
Ryan had been stationery on his bike letting people past when “the dog went straight for me and bit me,” he said.
The owner apparently told him to ‘shut up’ before running off.
Ryan had been left shaken up after what happened, but he is now feeling a bit better.
Mrs Hewitt, 25, said: “We just want to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else, especially somebody younger.”
She added: “It’s scary thinking he’s going round with a dog that could do it to somebody else.”
There was a lady dog walker who was there when the incident happened. If anyone has any information they should call Pc Timothy Bond on 101.
(East Anglian Daily Times - June 19, 2012)
