Recently, a Wayne County, North Carolina boy was walking to his school bus stop and was attacked by two dogs. Animal Control have quarantined the dogs. The report says one dog was a pit bull mix and the other a lab mix. Officials familiar with the dog bite accident say the attack happened on Pine Tree Lane in Dudley, North Carolina.
Vicki Falconer, the animal control director, reported that the victim was a 9-year-old from Brogden Elementary School. Also, records indicated that he had a few puncture wounds as well as several bruises from the vicious attack. The 3rd grader was carried by ambulance to the hospital. The Wayne County school system says the student has since been released.
According to eye witnesses, the bus driver pulled up to the stop and waited for the child. After seeing the attack down the road, the driver got out and used a broom that was on the bus to break up the dogs , she was assisted by another teacher that stopped to help as well. The dogs will stay at the shelter for a mandatory rabies check. According to animal regulations the dogs can be released by the owners, but if the county’s investigation deems the dogs to be dangerous then the owner could be given stipulations for their return.
As an injury lawyer we routinely are exposed to dog bite and dog attack cases where someone has been traumatized and physically harmed by a dog. In the story of the Wayne County boy above, we can accurately say that he was lucky to not have been more seriously harmed and injured by the dogs. Indeed, dog bites are serious, and you have legal rights and protection from a dog attack. Often, an attack by more than one dog can accelerate the dog’s aggression in what is exhibited as “pack mentality”. Indeed, dog bites are serious, if you are lucky enough to survive the physical wounds, emotional healing may never take place and should be accounted for in this young boy’s situation.