Child attacked by dog, taken to Rochester

Posted by JayJ (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

FYI The incident occured on the 900 block of James Avenue.

Posted by geokarjo (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The injuries to the child were horrendous I was shown a pictures of the child. The dog attack the face of the child leaving chunks of meat missing from the child's face. The child will be scared for life. The owner of the animal was quoted as saying were not responsible

Posted by kona (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

this breaks my heart. i pray he will heal.

Posted by pkb (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This dog CHASED the child down as the child was running away! It obviously was not leashed. The owners should be fully responsible. I've been told the dog remains with its owner. There are several children in this neighborhood. Wondering why this dog is still around to see daylight!

Posted by rae_rae (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 12:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Parent supervision is terrible in this neighborhood. If the dog was on it's own property fenced in, and the child climbed over the fence I'm sure the dog was only trying to "protect it's property." It's a lose-lose for both parties invovled I hope the little boy has a fast recovery with minimal scarring.

Posted by geokarjo (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If the child climbed over the fence or if the child walked through a gate. What is going to stop this dog from doing it again to a child?

Posted by pkb (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If that was the situation..then I apologize and agree. Dogs are territorial by nature and children should not be climbing neighbors fences. There are always 2 sides to the story. Although, If the dog has that kind of temperment..the fence should maybe be built higher in an attempt to avoid another 'accident'.

Posted by JayJ (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 1:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"this breaks my heart. i pray he will heal."

This is the only comment thus far that has any bearing on this story. All else is careless speculation and rumor. I know because it's on my block.
Be patient, the accurate story will emerge.
Thank you.

Posted by wingo (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I pray for this child and hope the recovery goes well.

Posted by sbahr (Stacey Bahr) on May 4, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well said, JayJ, people jump to conclusions far too easily about things like this, as if they have first-hand knowledge about everything that happened. I don't know the story and I don't pretend to know, I just hope that whatever the story is, the child gets the care he needs and can heal.

A valuable lesson to dog owners and parents, alike. Owners must keep their animals from harming others, and parents must teach their children that not all animals are friendly, and to NEVER approach an animal that you don't know or that doesn't know you. Even if an animal IS friendly, you never know what some circumstances will bring, if an animal doesn't like a particular person, feels threatened, is injured, any of these situations can turn even a friendly animal into an attacker. Please, take care around animals.

Posted by gardenmama (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Shouldn't the dog be placed where they can watch for rabies? Isn't there a leash law? I, too, hope the child heals well and scars will be minimal.

Posted by crzy_mama2mny (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

why don't they list the name and address of the dog owner and what the dog looked like? Shouldn't people know precisely what happened and where? That would end any rumors and speculation.

Posted by Videoguy84 (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It says nothing about the child climbing over the fence, or that there was even a fence in place...why is everyone so quick to assume?

My cousin was attacked by a dog when she was little, I saw what it did to her and it scared me to death (still does to this day). My prayers go out to this child.

Posted by SRO (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Praying for the little boy.

Posted by hotrod (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

something seems fishy to me after wacthing the news tonight and why is the dog not in the pound

Posted by alhsgrad90 (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 10:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

why is this even being posted it is just like that article about the home break-in when the woman asked to use the bathroom. no info in this article please trib stop doing this

Posted by tallyman (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

alhsgrad90:
Are you serious? Oh, Tribune, please stop telling us what you know! Please, keep secrets from the public!
It's a newspaper, for crying out loud. They are supposed to tell us news like this, even if it is bits and pieces until they find out more. That's why we are here reading it in the first place.
In an age when papers are having a hard time even staffing reporters, here is a reader who wants less news. Oy vey!

Posted by Freedomfighter (anonymous) on May 4, 2009 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think that is terrible that this town treats a accidental trama as though it was planned and that people keep dogs locked up in trailers and in small cages to prevent them from even coming towards another human. I have a Police scanner and all kinds of people are calling in every stray dog they see a Pitbull and that it be destroyed immediately, I think Police should be doing other things and leave the dogs to the proper authorties. As for the local gossip paper I'm glad that we still have one with the current economy of this city. Please don't be a lynch mob as they were quick to hang people and ask questions later. Keep in mind what wold you be feeling now if you were the owner of the alleged dog or the parents of the injured child. Ever heard or seen the Dog Whisper? I hope you honestly are praying for everyone involved instead of seeking revenge as the old proverb would say two wrongs don't make a right.

Posted by harb (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 12:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lets be thankful the boy is alive, he is a buddy of my grandson.

Posted by harb (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 1:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am amazed that the tv6 news showed the dog (unleashed) kenneling up into the vehichle

Posted by harb (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 1:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Unleahed' isn't that against the law.

Posted by MRSimmons (Mike Simmons) on May 5, 2009 at 7:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Tallyman, great post. As you stated, some people just don't get the concept of a newspaper reporting the news. Thank god some of our AL grads aren't in the news business, the public would be in the dark on a host of issues, LOL!

Posted by blayzer (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

my son is the boy that was attacked and just so you all know the truth he was at his friends house also with a cousin and he was just petting this dog and did not climb a fence to gain access. this dog knew my son and had been around him several times. my son had to fight for his life to free himself from this dog nobody there heard him calling out for help by the time my family got there to help he had gotten away and ran home. the owners were in the house at the time and how they could not here him i do not know. my son is home now but needed major surgery on his face. it doesnt matter the kind of dog that it was it just goes to show it can happen in an instant to anyone. thank you to everyone for all your support you have showed to my family and especially my son!

Posted by sbahr (Stacey Bahr) on May 5, 2009 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am so glad to hear your son is home now, and will keep him in my thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Posted by kona (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i am thankful to hear he is home. that is a good sign. i pray the trauma of the event is not too deep for this little guy and his scars are as minimal as possible.

Posted by blayzer (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 10:14 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by blayzer (anonymous) on May 5, 2009 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

my son was not trespassing on this property.