FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A 6-year-old girl is recovering at home after a dog attack in Fort Collins. The attack happened last week in a neighborhood near Troutman Park and Lopez Elementary School.
Animal bite cases are not unusual this time of year. NOCO Humane said they see 25 percent more cases in the summer compared to the winter, averaging around a hundred cases a month year-round with many of the victims being children. They said what makes this case unique is that animal control is still searching for the dog and a possible owner.
“These are the two bottom ones, and these are the two top ones,” said 6-year-old Lucy Reyling pointing to the bite mark on her arm.
On July 1, Lucy told animal control that she was walking to a neighbor’s house when she spotted a strange dog on the other side of the street.
“It was a big brown dog with really floppy ears,” said Lucy. “It was just laying on a sidewalk in front of a house. It saw me and it came running up to me, and it jumped up and bit my arm.”
The 6-year-old used her arm to protect her face from the dog’s jaws. The folks at NOCO Humane tell 9NEWS that Lucy did everything right in this situation; she stayed away from the dog, she didn’t make eye contact, and she kept quiet. Yet, the dog still attacked the young girl.
NOCO Humane’s Animal Protection and Control officers continue to patrol the neighborhood where the attack happened, but they haven’t had much luck tracking down the dog or a possible owner. With the animal still at-large, Lucy’s mom, Kasey Reyling, remains on edge.
“I find myself now when we’re driving around, I am looking for this loose dog,” said Kasey. “We don’t know anything about this dog. We don’t know if it’s sick. We don’t know any of that and that’s just really scary. Just the safety aspect, it’s the worst part. I want [my kids] to have their independence to walk to a friend’s house and I’m scared now that they’re going to get hurt.”
NOCO Humane wants to find the dog for a couple reasons. First, it’s a public safety issue. NOCO said a potentially dangerous dog is at-large right now and they don’t want anyone else in Fort Collins to get hurt. Second, they want to observe the animal to make sure it doesn’t show any signs of rabies.
Kasey said they took Lucy to the doctor and were told that she was going to be okay. They did prescribe her an antibiotic, just to be safe.
NOCO Humane said now is a good time for parents to teach their kids how to understand dog body language. Here are some tips from NOCO on how to prevent an animal bite:
- Avoid interacting with dogs that are showing signs of fearfulness, anxiety, or aggression.
- If approached by an unknown dog, remain quiet, still, and avoid eye contact. Running away will trigger a dog's instinct to chase. Slowly back away and place a barrier between you and the dog, if possible.
- For parents, it's paramount to teach children to ask before petting a dog, and to always treat pets gently and with respect.
- It’s important to emphasize the responsibility of pet owners to keep pets confined in a safe environment, or on a leash. Not only is it the law, but it prevents dangerous interactions from occurring. Pets can have unpredictable reactions to stimuli when outdoors, especially in unfamiliar environments. Keeping your pet restrained decreases the likelihood of an unpredictable reaction turning into a dangerous altercation.
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