MINNESOTA -- A family dog attacked a 6-year-old Douglas County boy recently, causing potentially permanent damage to the boy’s face.
It was the second serious dog attack in a month in Douglas County.
The boy was attacked May 30 by a 2-year-old pit bull-lab mix named Lucky at a Minnesuing Road residence. The family was sitting outside, and children were playing catch. Six-year-old Brandon Blaine ran behind the dog, which was eating under the deck, according to Tina Blaine, the boy’s grandmother.
“The dog stopped eating and lunged for his face,” Blaine said.
The dog took the boy down and started tearing at his face. Blaine jumped off the deck to pull the dog away. When she picked Brandon off the ground and pulled his hands from his face, “blood just came gushing out.”
The dog had bitten right through the boy’s cheek. Doctors put in stitches to repair the damage, but told Blaine the 6-year-old may never be able to smile with that side of his face. If the bite had been a few inches lower, Blaine said, it could have hit the boy’s jugular vein.
Brandon returned home after spending the night at the hospital, Blaine said.
“He’s doing real good,” she said. “That kid’s got more good spirits than most people.”
The 6-year-old missed the last week of school, but his class at Northwestern Elementary School sent him homemade cards, according to Blaine. Their families also have called, asking how they can help, while Brandon’s teacher sent activities to keep him busy while he recovers.
Lucky’s owner surrendered the dog to the Humane Society of Douglas County for quarantine. The animal, which had never received a rabies shot, was later euthanized to test for the disease. The test came back negative, although Brandon received rabies treatment during his surgery.
A Maple couple also underwent treatment for rabies after being attacked repeatedly by a stray dog along the Tri County Corridor on May 19. The animal ripped open the man’s arm and left the woman with a broken thumb, lacerated fingers and puncture wounds on her thigh, according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Department report. The couple was walking their puppy about 300 yards east of the Wouri Road when they saw a dog on the trail in front of them. The animal went off into the woods, then charged out to attack the woman, biting her in the right hand.
The man attempted to get the dog off her, and the animal attacked him. By kicking at the dog, he got the animal to back off. The dog went a short distance away, then turned and attacked the man, biting him in the arm. The dog remains unidentified.
The dog was described as a pit bull-German shepherd mix, with shepherd coloring but smaller than a typical shepherd, wearing a dark-colored collar with tags. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Douglas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Schnell at (715) 395-1371.
The Douglas County Health and Human Services Department investigates about 21 biting incidents a year, according to Ken Zurian, environmental health specialist. However, that number also includes cat, bat, muskrat, squirrel and bear bites. Douglas County Sheriff’s Department statistics show there were 16 dog bite calls from June 2012 through May 2013.
Douglas County follows state statute in regards to dog bites. If an animal has bit someone, it must be quarantined for at least 10 days to see if it exhibits signs of rabies. Owners are liable for damage caused by a dog. And if the dog causes serious injury to a person or domestic animal on two separate occasions off the owner’s property without reasonable cause, a municipality can go to court to seek a court order to kill the animal.
In the city of Superior, an additional ordinance enacted in 2009 addresses potentially dangerous animals. Under the ordinance, a dog that has attacked another dog or human can be declared potentially dangerous or dangerous by the humane officer. Owners of such dogs can be required to follow strict measures, from keeping the animal muzzled whenever it’s outside of a secure enclosure to microchipping or even sterilizing it. The cost of licensing the animal could jump to as much as $500. Since the ordinance was enacted, Wagner said, less than 10 incidents have led to the dog involved being labeled dangerous or potentially dangerous.
(Superior Telegram - June 11, 2013)
