Dog attacks 3-year-old on bike as family tries to get animal off her head, SC cops say

A dog lunged at a 3-year-old girl as her family members rushed to stop the attack, police in South Carolina said.

The child’s father and uncle reportedly hit the dog to try to get it off her head. When the animal finally released its grip, the girl was taken to a hospital with “significant” injuries, according to the Charleston Police Department.

Officers responded to the attack at about 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 23. The girl had been riding her bike in a residential area when a man out for a walk “lost control” of his dog, according to an incident report.

The dog bit the girl, leaving her with “significant visible laceration type injuries to one ear and back of the head,” police told McClatchy News in an email.

After the attack, witnesses told police the owner’s family was able to regain control of the dog and put it in a harness. Police contacted an animal control officer, and the dog later was euthanized.

Officers said no charges had been filed as of early May 26. An investigation continues, and anyone with information is asked to call police at 843-743-7200.

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