Bradenton Boy's Finger Bitten Off by Caged Dog

An 11-year-old boy had his pinky finger bitten off by a caged dog that was then killed by the boy's father Friday evening at their Bradenton home, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports.

According to deputies, the boy was at his home in the 5200 block of 22^nd Street Court East and approached the dog, which was in its cage.

The boy stuck his hand through the slots in the cage door to pet the dog when it bit him on the left hand, "completely severing his pinky and possibly breaking his forearm," according to a sheriff's office report.

The boy's father then removed the dog from its cage and shot it multiple times, killing it. The father retrieved the severed finger from the dog's stomach while awaiting for emergency personnel to arrive, deputies said.

The child was airlifted to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

A preliminary investigation supports the man's account of the incident, which appears to be an accident, officials said.

Animal Control took possession of the dog's remains, the sheriff's office said.

The type of dog was not initially released by authorities.

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