Dog That Attacked Boy May Be Allowed To Return To Neighborhood

WFTV.COM ^ | May 9, 2005

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WFTV.com

Dog That Attacked Boy May Be Allowed To Return To Neighborhood

POSTED: 6:01 pm EDT May 9,

2005

SANFORD, Fla. -- Residents of a Sanford neighborhood say a vicious dog is about to return to their street. The dog already attacked a 12-year-old boy. But animal control officials say, by law, the owner could have his pet back Tuesday.

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Monday afternoon, animal control investigators say they may reconsider allowing the dog back to the quiet street. Even though the dog was chained up on the owner's property, a friend of the owner's son was viciously attacked, requiring dozens of stitches.

Shawn Michniewicz uses crutches to walk home from school now after a neighbor's dog ripped his leg apart.

"I was just standing there and he saw me and obviously bit me," said Shawn.

Neighbors were angry to find out that the dog might be released back to its owner, because the attack happened on his property while the dog was hooked to a big chain. But neighbors say kids play in the yard and others have been bitten before.

Animal control investigators say they are trying to determine if there were other bite complaints made on the dog and that, considering the severity of Shawn's injury, they'll reconsider letting the dog go home. The 10-day quarantine would have ended Tuesday, but it does not look like the dog will be coming home that soon, if at all.

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[tkathy]

A million dollar lawsuit may be necessary here.

[kx9088]

Since, long distance shot. No one would know where it came from.

[FreedomPoster]

Or a scoped .22

[Bluegrass Conservative]

But neighbors say kids play in the yard and others have been bitten before.

Okay, I'm not really defending the guy or his dog. But, what the heck are the kids doing playing in someone else's yard?

[kaktuskid]

Two words..."strychnine" and "meatball"

[cjshapi]

My thoughts exactly. It may not be the nicest dog in the world but why are those kids playing on that property? Sounds like stupidity on their part.

[Gary - Peters]

Really. The dog's on his own property and chained, which is an aditional excess.

My dog under the same situation may do the same thing.

Have any of the kids teased the chained dog ????

[Bluegrass Conservative]

The dog's on his own property and chained, which is an aditional excess.

It would be a different situation if the dog had either broken it's chain and left the guy's property or if the chain was so long that he could leave the property. But, the way it sounds, these kids went on their neigbor's property and got within chain length of the dog.

I feel sorry for the kids. But it's really their own fault.

[MississippyMuddy]

Parents, keep your children in your own yard. I had to give up my dog, because some stupid 8 year old , came into my yard , while I was at work. It's my home, my yard, my dog. If your not invited, get lost.

Jeff

[cardinal4]

Hopefully someone will drive by and shoot it..

[Mathews]

I'd say so. The owner of the dog should sue the idiotic parents of the children. The kids are trespassing and teasing a chained dog. Animal cruelty anyone? Gotcha'!

[Old Professer]

Dog is on private property and tethered to a big chain, boy greets dog and gets unwelcome reception, dog needs to die?

[Mathews]

Yep! I agree with you!

[Bluegrass Conservative]

Hopefully someone will drive by and shoot it..

And how would you like it if someone randomly drove by and shot YOUR dog???

[Neville72]

If a dog of mine chewed up a kid's leg, in my yard or anywhere else, nobody else would have to shoot it. I'd do it myself.

[MississippyMuddy]

"I was just standing there and he saw me and obviously bit me," said Shawn.

You were just standing in some one elses back yard, doing what? Is this how the kid spends his days, just standing around in his neighbors yard????????

[MississippyMuddy]

And if the dog is for protection , you would get rid of it?

Jeff

[Bluegrass Conservative]

If a dog of mine chewed up a kid's leg, in my yard or anywhere else, nobody else would have to shoot it. I'd do it myself.

Assuming the kid wasn't molesting and/or torturing my dog, I agree.

[Gingersnap]

Looks like stupidity at work here. The kid shouldn't have been the area of the yard used by the chained dog. The owner's son should have warned his friends about the dog. The owner shouldn't chain his dog up since it makes them aggressive. The owner should have built a dog run if his son had friends over.