4-Year-Old Attacked By Dog; Charges Unlikely To Be Filed

BEL AIR, MD — A dog that bit a 4-year-old boy at a Bel Air playground is being quarantined to check for rabies, the Harford County Sheriff said Monday. No charges are expected to be filed in the case.

The boy was bitten about 5:30 p.m. on March 11 at a playground near Mayfield Drive and Marcie Court by a German shepherd mix, and treated for injuries at a local hospital.

According to a news release from the Harford County Sheriff's office, the boy was with his father on the playground near Mayfield Drive and Marcie Court when a dog on a leash began to attack the child.

The child was taken by Harford County EMS to the hospital for treatment, and has since been released and is recovering, the sheriff's office said. A neighbor told WMAR the child had received dozens of stitches on his head.

"It does not appear that a crime was committed and I know that doesn't sit well with a lot of community members who see the horrific injuries that the child experienced, " Harford Sheriff Jeff Gahler told WMAR.

The attack happened without provocation, the sheriff said, and the dog could be labeled as dangerous, the sheriff said.

"The parent asked if the child can pet the dog. The dog owner said yes. [The] dog, who was on a leash, then attacked the child," Gahler said.

Maryland state law says an animal can be deemed dangerous if it bites a person for no reason, causing serious injury or death. Such a designation requires owners to take additional precautions.