Family dog out of shelter nearly two weeks after attacking toddler
The family of a toddler injured in a dog attack more than a week ago picked up the dog from the shelter on Sunday.
According to Kimberly Kruger, Gunner’s owner, the attack happened after her daughter, 2-year-old Kennedy Aikens, fell on Gunner, who Kruger said has a bad hip.
Aikens spent six days in the hospital recovering from the dog bite that left a deep wound across her face.
The family picked the dog back up from the shelter over the weekend, and while the dog will not return to the home with the child, Jennifer Federico with Wake County Animal Serivces said she was surprised the family came back to pick up the dog because of the injuries the child suffered.
“I learned we cannot predict what people do when it comes to their pets,” she said.
Federico said Animal Services can’t stop owners from reclaiming their pets after a dog bite, but they are working on deeming the dog dangerous.
According to Federico, that would include:
- Spaying or neutering the dog
- Microchipping the dog
- Muzzling the dog when it leaves the owner’s property
However, if the dog is deemed dangerous and bites again, the owners may not get a chance to reclaim him a second time.
“If the dog bites again, we could euthanize the dog after a second bite,” Federico said.
Wake County Animal Services said the dog could be deemed dangerous later this week. As for Aikens, she is continuing her recovery and Kruger said she’s doing much better.
The family started a GoFundMe to help with Aikens medical expenses.
What to do during a dog attack
Before the pandemic, 5 On Your Side’s Monica Laliberte talked with experts about warning signs that a dog might turn, and how to protect yourself if that happens.
While dog maulings are rare, it’s important to know that less severe attacks can often be prevented from the start.
For example, when a dog approaches do not make eye contact.
Gruen also warned about running away. "I think the urge is to sort of run away, and that can often make the situation worse," she said. Adding the reality is, most people cannot out-run or even out-bike a dog.
Instead, Gruen says the best response is get on the ground and pull yourself in tight, like a rock, protecting your head and neck.
Most bites, 77% according to the Humane Society, involve "familiar" dogs.
Before attacking, dogs often give cues they’ve had enough.
"Like getting that furrowed brow," Gruen said. "We’ll see them start to lick their lips or they may yawn. Yawning is a sign of conflict or anxiety in dogs."
She said other signs a dog is nervous: they have a low body posture, the whites of their eyes are visible, and ears down are and back.
