Wolf-Dog Hybrid Mauls and Kills Newborn Girl In Crib
An eight-day old baby was mauled and killed by her family’s wolf-dog hybrid in Virginia. The three-year-old family pet has since been euthanized, WJHL reports.
The girl was laying down in her crib when her parents heard her crying. Upon going into her room, they saw the animal standing near the child.
“There was blood in the bassinet where the dog had attacked the child...it was very serious injuries to the upper body, and the head, the child had been seriously mauled by the animal,” Sheriff Gary Parsons, citing statements of the case, told CBS-affiliate WJHL.
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She was first taken to Lonesome Pine Hospital in Virginia, then transported to Holston Valley Medical Center and finally UT Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, according to WATE. Police were notified about the attack shortly before noon and the newborn passed away about four hours later.
Parsons, along with the state social services, are conducting an ongoing investigation and considering charges against the newborn’s parents.
“You hate to charge parents that are grieving over a child, but at the same time you have to consider the rights of the child,” Parsons told WJHL. “. . .We will get all of our information together and present it to the commonwealth's attorney to see if there are any charges of endangerment or neglect to the child.”
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Wolf-dog hybrids are known for their inconsistent behavior, according to the International Wolf Center. While some people have had success with the animals as pets, otherwise have not—which can explain why they’re illegal to own in many states.
“Often, potential hybrid owners overlook the important task of understanding the nature of the wild wolf and the domestic dog and become overwhelmed when their ‘pet’ begins to show behavioral traits that are unexpected and unmanageable,” the Minnesota-based nonprofit explains on their website.