Officials: Dog That Bit Girl In Face To Be Euthanized

A yellow Labrador retriever that bit a 6-year-old girl Sunday afternoon will be euthanized to allow for rabies testing, officials with Animal Services said Monday.

The dog bit the girl when she went up to the dog, which was in its owner’s back yard behind a rock wall and a wrought-iron gate. The incident occurred about 1:15 p.m. Sunday on the 2400 block of Tierra Rica Way in Far East El Paso.

The girl, who was visiting with relatives, was taken to a hospital with injuries to the face, the city of El Paso Environmental Services Department announced Sunday.

Animal Services officers said the dog’s owner voluntarily surrendered the dog, which was taken to the shelter where it was initially quarantined. The dog’s owner was cited for not having current pet registration and vaccinations.

ABC-7 cameras were rolling as the yellow Lab was removed from the home.

“Our job is to check for rabies. That’s all we’re gonna check for. We’re going to go ahead and observe it for 10 days. At this point, it’s an ongoing investigation,” Hugo Navarro, Animal Services operations supervisor, told ABC-7 on Sunday.

Animal Services officials said the incident highlights the need to teach children not to approach unfamiliar animals to help prevent then from being bitten by dogs. They offered the following tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

? Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.

? Do not run from a dog or scream.

? Remain motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog.

? If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still.

? Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.

? Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.

? Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.

? Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.

? Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.

? If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

? If you encounter an aggressive dog or are bitten by one you should report it immediately to authorities by calling 911.