The boy was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries to his face after a friend's pit bull attacked.
"I was just sitting down and the kid walked up with his hand raised to the dog and the dog bit him in the face," said Cole Birchard, the dog's owner. "As soon as the dog grabbed him on the face, I grabbed ahold of the dog."
He says as soon as his five year old pit bull latched on to the child's face, the damage was apparent.
The boy and his mother were visiting the family friends when it all happened just before midnight Sunday.
"He had sustained injuries to his face, nose and lip," said Birchard.
The boy was then rushed to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital.
"It's just horrifying all around, I feel bad for everybody," said Birchard.
Deputies said when they arrived at the hospital and saw the child, they immediately began searching for the dog and its owner; however, the owner turned over the dog to Animal Services shortly after.
Right now, the dog is quarantined at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Services. According to officials there, what happens to a dog in a situation like this really depends on the circumstances.
"Certainly any past history of aggression or bite history problems go into consideration," said Eric Anderson, Director of Animal Services.
He says in this case, the dog does not have any, meaning investigators will need to depend on statements from witnesses.
"There are potential criminal charges in this case regarding child endangerment on the part of the dog's owner, as well as the mother of the child but that will be determined by the District Attorney's Office," said Tony Cipolla of the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office.
KSBY reached out to the family of the boy but they could not speak with us Tuesday. They will continue to stay with him while he recovers in the hospital.
(KSBY - Oct 23, 2013)
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