The eight-year-old underwent surgery to save his arm after the family’s American Bulldog bit the boy’s shoulder.
The boy was trying to go inside Wednesday after jumping on a backyard trampoline, but got caught on a gate. That’s when the dog suddenly turned on the boy.
The boy’s father released a statement Friday night that reads in part:
“Unfortunately second and third hand stories are not always factual. What has been put in print and what has been reported on television is not true nor did those quotes come from myself. The truth is I never said the dog would “go crazy” when the kids played on the trampoline, as reported. What I said was, “he always got excited when the kids jumped and played on the trampoline, and he would run around in circles barking” (as all dogs do). I also never said he had “territorial issues” as reported. What I said was, “he would sometimes bark at strangers that came to the house” (again as all dogs do).
This incident was an unfortunate accident and if it wasn’t for my 13 year old son and his longtime neighborhood friend, my 8 year old son would be much worse off today. Those teenage boys saved him and they are my heroes. Thank you boys.
My dog was not a fighting breed as some have reported. He was a pure bred American Bulldog and not a Pit Bull, as many suggested. He was a well taken care of family pet who visited the vet regularly. He was up to date on his rabies shots and was neutered. We are dog lovers and had this dog since he was 8 weeks old, and through his 3 ½ years he never bit anyone nor showed aggression. We loved him. He loved my children but he made an awful mistake. We agree with the law, which is a good law, and it broke our hearts as we put the dog to sleep the next day.”
The dog’s bite struck one of the boy’s arteries, but doctors were able to save his arm through surgery.
Police say shortly after the incident, the dog was euthanized for safety concerns.
(WGGB - April 5, 2013)
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