Woman has lip bitten off by dog in East Sandwich

MASSACHUSETTS -- A woman was taken to the hospital Saturday night after having her lip bitten off by a dog, according to police.

Police and fire officials were called to 68 Salt Marsh Road at 6:21 p.m. for a reported dog bite with injury, according to Sandwich police Sgt. Bruce Lawrence.

Occupants of the home told police that a 43-year-old woman had been bitten by a pit bull / boxer mix and that her lower lip was bitten off by the dog, according to police.

She was taken to South Shore Hospital trauma center by Sandwich fire officials, police said.

Sandwich animal control officials took the dog and are investigating the incident, Sandwich police Lt. David Guillemette said.

The2-year-old dog belonged to an acquaintance of the woman at the address, Guillemette said.

“She asked the owner if she could give the dog a kiss and had her face down near the muzzle of the dog,” he said about what preceded the bite.

Police responded to the scene to assist but the follow up will be handled by animal control, Guillemette said.

The woman bitten by the dog, whom a Times reporter located Sunday at 68 Salt Marsh Road, and a man with her declined to comment on the incident.

Messages left for animal control officials seeking more information on the incident were not immediately returned.

According to Sandwich animal control rules, a dangerous dog is defined as one which has inflicted severe injury on a human being without provocation, killed a domestic animal without provocation or is kept primarily or in part for dog fighting or is trained to fight. The animal control department has the authority to impound any animal as it deems necessary under state law and may take any actions necessary to safeguard the public or other animals.

In addition, the Board of Selectmen may vote on disciplinary action, including impoundment, permanent confinement, banishment from the town and euthanasia, according to the rules.

(Capecodonline - April 5, 2014)