Two Terre Haute youth bitten by dog

Arthur Foulkes - The Tribune-Star The Tribune Star
Fri Jul 22, 2011, 05:00 AM EDT

article

TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA --A Terre Haute youth is recovering from serious injuries received in a dog biting incident that took place earlier this week.

Terre Haute police report that two boys opened the privacy gate to the backyard of a home near 19th Street and Third Avenue about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. When they opened the gate, they were met by a large dog, identified as an Alaskan Malamute, and both children were bitten.

One of the boys required surgery after the incident, said Tim Manley, an Animal Control Officer for the Terre Haute Police Department. According to his family, the child required more than 50 stitches in his back and also required surgery, he said.

“He’s really, really sore as you can imagine,” Manley said Thursday.

The dog was taken to the Terre Haute Humane Shelter to be placed in quarantine for 10 days, Manley said.

The names of the youths were not being released due to their ages, Manley noted. The other child who was present during the attack was also bitten, he said.

“The animal was chained in the backyard” of its home, Manley said. The two children, who know the dog’s owner, opened the privacy gate and “the dog was right there,” he said. “That’s how they got bitten.”

The owner of the dog is facing possible citations for harboring a nonimmunized dog, having a dog without a city license and harboring a dangerous animal, Manley said.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.