4-year-old boy attacked by dog in Lakewood Ranch, dog currently in quarantine

A 4-year-old boy in Lakewood Ranch was attacked by a 75-pound dog and treated for an open wound on his face Thursday morning, according to a report from Manatee County Animal Services.

The boy was outside with his sister on their driveway on Skipjack Loop when a strange dog attacked him. His mother, Sharifa Wright, heard screaming, rushed outside and yanked the dog off of her son.

Wright took her toddler to a nearby emergency room where he received stitches and antibiotics.

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According to MCAS, the dog's owner left the animal with his in-laws who were neighbors to Wright. The dog owner's father-in-law informed officials that they were going to take the dog for a walk but it fled before they were able to clip on his leash.

Currently, the dog is quarantined for 10 days at the owner's home in Myakka City, as is protocol.

Florida law states that pet owners are required to quarantine their pets after a bite to observe for rabies for at least ten days, regardless of the animal's vaccination status.

A MCAS officer wrote in their report that the dog was up to date on its vaccinations. The officer also gave notice to the owner for a dog bite, dog-at-large and dog acting aggressive.

According to the report, the officer will soon follow up with an affidavit as citations will be issued for the dog causing injury. No details were available on the dog's breed.

Stefania Lugli covers a little of everything for the Herald-Tribune. You can contact her at slugli@heraldtribune.com or dm her on Twitter at @steflugli.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Lakewood Ranch dog attack sends child to emergency room