Dog bites Muskegon Heights toddler

6:09 PM, May 6, 2011

article

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WZZM) - A pittbull that bit a 3-year old boy in the face is in the hands of animal control. It happened around 3p.m. Friday near the intersection of Morton and Harrison boulevards in Muskegon Heights.

Several children were playing near the dog which was chained up inside a fenced yard. A witness says the boy was playing too close to the animal which jumped up and bit him.

Muskegon Heights resident Tamica Humphries says, "He is going to need stitches and have a scar maybe."

Ron Hansard with Muskegon County Vector Control says,"Rabies protocol says that it has to be quarantined for ten day for observation."

The child was taken to a Muskegon hospital by ambulance but the extent of his injuries is unclear.

By Jeff White

Muskegon Heights - Friday

 

Pit Bull Dog Attacks 3-Year-Old Boy

Jason Volentine
9:34 p.m. EDT, May 6, 2011

article

Muskegon Heights— Muskegon Heights police said a 3-year-old is recovering tonight after being attacked by a pit bull. The little boy was rushed to the hospital for stitches after being bitten once in the face around 3:00 pm, Friday.

The little boy's family said he was playing with his cousins at a neighbors house where the pit bull was chained up. The pit bull apparently struck when the little boy stepped within reach.

Police said the dog wasn't properly confined under the city's pit bull ordinance.

Muskegon Heights mandates that a pit bull kept outside must be confined in a fully enclosed cage or kennel. If the dog is outside that cage, it must be muzzled and kept on a leash not longer than four feet and held by a person. Police said this dog was confined by none of these methods.

After the attack, 3-year-old Devontae received a face full of stitches at the hospital.

"The dog bite me," said 3-year-old Devondae, after returning from the hospital with bandages covering the entire right side of his face.

Devontae's family said he was playing with his cousins at a neighbor's house when the attack happened. Devontae's cousin Carlos grabbed a rake to get the dog away after the first bite, possibly preventing the situation from being much worse.

"I heard him screaming. I came outside and grabbed a rake and started hitting [the dog] and I looked up and [Devontae's] whole cheek on [the right side] - it was bitten and I was crying," said Carlos Watkins, Devontae's young cousin.

Devontae's aunt, Tamica Humphries was home just up the road when the attack happened.

"He could have gotten his eye bitten. Could have gotten his neck. I'm just glad my nephew is alive. It was a close one," said Tamica Humphries.

Tamica immediately called Devontae's mother who rushed to his side.

"I was pretty much terrified. I was scared and when I came and saw all the blood and him crying it really hit me then," said Nadirah Humphries, Devontae's mother.

As the posted "beware of dog" signs at the dog's home suggest, police said the dog was aggressive when they came to take it away. The dog is now being held by animal control for a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Carlos said the dog was acting mean immediately after the attack as well. He said the dog was standing over Devontae growling.

While Devontae survived the attack, his mother said she's worried he'll have life-long scars both physical and emotional.

"He's not the type that's scared of animals. With this right now it's going to traumatize him from being around dogs," said Nadirah.

Because the dog wasn't properly contained police said the owners could face a misdemeanor charge. According to police, the owners were out of town when the attack took place.