Dog attacks 9-year-old boy

Here's a bit of a twist, but not a surprise. Another kid attacked, but...it's NOT a bullie. It was only a matter of time before the full blame would not only include the bullies and rotties. Now add the larger breeds according to Gulbe's statement.

The WHAS11.com News gives an account of this unfortunate attack.

Dog attacks 9-year-old boy
06:07 PM EDT on Tuesday, June 27, 2006

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- According to one estimate, someone in the U.S. seeks medical attention for a dog bite every 40 seconds. It happened Monday night on Pacelli Place. And Nikki Lester watched much of the attack unfold.

“I heard a dog going off and people screaming no,” she says. Nikki says hearing those screams grabbed her attention -- and what she saw was even more frightening.

“I looked out and the dog's on top of a little kid in the grass. He gets up and took off blood pouring down the side of his neck.”

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“A child was passing by. The dog got away from its owner,” says Jackie Gulbe of Metro Animal Services. “It jumped on the child and that's when the bite occurred.”

The dog is an Akita, a breed not often associated with attacks.

“It's definitely not only the pit bulls and rottweilers. Larger breeds of dogs do more damage,” says Gulbe.

This dog does fit the profile in other ways -- it's an un-neutered male. Figures compiled by the Injury Prevention Association say male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than females. Unneutered dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite than those neutered.

The owner has signed this dog over to Metro Animal Services. Small comfort to Nikki Lester, who now worries about her own 17-month-old daughter.

“We were going to come outside and play. It makes me terrified. I don't want to bring her outside.”

Metro Animal Services will hold the dog for ten days -- then it'll be euthanized.

Web story produced by Jay Ditzer.