BRINNON – A family dog that was provoked into mauling an 8-year-old Brinnon boy’s face on Monday has been spared.
But the boy’s family is kicking the bull mastiff out of the house.
Jefferson County Animal Control Officer Bruce Turner said Wednesday that the boy provoked the 3-year-old, 60- to 80-pound male dog into biting him while playing under a bed at the boy’s house.
So the dog will not be euthanized.
“A provoked bite is an affirmative defense, so there is no reason for me to seize the animal,” Turner said Wednesday.
The dog caused “extreme” wounds to the boy’s nose and left side of his face, Brinnon Fire District No. 4 Chief Bob Herbst said Tuesday, describing the seriousness of the boy’s wounds as 8 on a scale of zero to 10.
The boy, who never lost consciousness, was transported by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Monday, underwent surgery and was returned home that same day but was heavily medicated, Herbst said.
Turner investigated the incident Tuesday.
“The father told me the boy was, in his words, tormenting the dog, not leaving the dog alone,” Turner said.
When Turner, who did not know the dog’s name, visited the boy’s house, the dog was “very friendly,” Turner said.
“It just had a really friendly disposition.”
But the father said he intends to give the dog away to friends.
“The father said he just couldn’t ever trust the boy and the dog together again,” Turner said.
________
Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
