RHODE ISLAND -- A 100-pound, 14-month-old Akita is being held at the Scituate animal shelter to determine if it should be deemed a vicious dog, Police Chief David M. Randall said.
The police responded to Hasbro Children's Hospital Saturday evening for a report of a 23-month-old girl bitten by the dog.
The father of the girl told police, Randall said, that relatives gathered at the family's Hope Furnace Road home, with the dog, for a cookout when the dog bit the girl on the cheek.
Randall said it was unclear what prompted the attack but the speculation was that someone may have inadvertently stepped on the dog.
The girl was expected to recover fully, Randall said.
The dog, which was not licensed, was up-to-date on its vaccinations, he said, adding it had no history of violent behavior. Officials have not decided if a viciousness hearing will be held.
The owner was fined for failing to license the dog.
(Providence Journal - July 16, 2013)
