MICHIGAN -- It was about 9:30 a.m. Sunday when Sergeant Jeff Weiss received a phone call that a six-year-old boy was bitten by a dog in Stockbridge Township while riding bikes with his brother.
"At the house of the complaint, we found a six-year-old had been bitten by a pit bull in the lower leg," said Weiss. "The child's grandmother is a medical professional. She had treated the wound already."
When it was found the boy would be okay, his grandmother then told the two deputies where her grandson was when he was bitten. About a quarter-mile down from her home on Chapman road. It was there that police found the dog.
"The dog was loose. It was not chained up or contained in any way," said Weiss.
According to Sergeant Weiss, no one was home at the time and the dog continued to act aggressively toward him and the other deputy.
"Barking, growling, baring it's teeth and charging at myself and the other deputy," said Weiss.
"Because of the public threat and because it had already bitten a boy, it was shot and killed."
We were able to speak with relatives of the dog owner, who said his name is Juan Sanchez.
They said Sanchez was sad when he found his dog's body, but understood why deputies had to shoot him. The relatives also said they had had no issues with the dog before and that he should have been chained up.
Sergeant Weiss says this could have all been avoided.
"Usually, homeowners keep them contained either in a fenced yard or their tethered to something stationery, where they're not able to roam free," said Weiss.
Weiss said he will go to the home where the dog was found, Monday, with animal control.
(WILX - Sept 30, 2012)
