A German shephard allegedly bit an 11-month-old child in the face in the 6900 block of West Bergen Road. The dog is said to be on the porch and calm at this time and the resident has been told to secure the animal inside. Bergen fire and Mercy medics are responding along with Sheriff's deputies.
UPDATE 2:02 p.m.: The baby is being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
UPDATE 5:35 p.m. (by Howard): According to State Police, the dog belonged to a family member who was visiting from out of state. The family was gathered in a room with the baby crawling around. The baby "made a beeline for the dog" and the dog, described as "elderly" and "14 years old," just reacted and nipped the child. The child was transported to Strong where the child received some stitches and was released. No charges are anticipated.
Ladies and Gentlemen...
Ladies and Gentlemen... before we start commenting, we need to remember that we don't know the situation that the child and dog were in at the time of the incident. Just remember that all animals - domestic or wild - have instincts and limits too, just like humans.
Being the owner of a German
Being the owner of a German Shepard ourselves, my wife and I take all precautions as to insuring the safety of others that may visit our home. Knowing that he is very protective of us, we keep him secured in our back room when people are there. It's a shame this had to happen. As Elizabeth pointed out, we don't know the circumstances behind what happened. I'm praying for the child to make a full recovery and also the owners of the dog that this incident can be handled fairly.