Posted on Oct 30, 2008
According to The News Dispatch out of Michigan City, Indiana, a six-year-old boy named Owen Ott was attacked by a dog at his family's place of business, Stateline Blueberries, in Springfield Township. The boy was bitten by a Chihuahua in the face, causing his lip to tear from his mouth.
"The chunk was sticking out of his face. It looked horrible at the time but he's resting comfortably now," Diane Ott, the boy's mother said.
There are two sides to the story, according to La Porte County Police. According to the dog owners, Gabriel and Margorzata Przybysz of Park Forest, IL, they were visiting the small farm in order to pick blueberries with their children. The dog was leashed and tied to a picnic table while the family gathered fruit. One of the Przybysz' sons, meanwhile, watched the dog. The boy claims that when Owen Ott approached the dog, he told the six-year-old not to pet the animal. Owen was bitten when he did not listen to the warning.
Diane Ott, however, has a different story. She claims that the Chihuahua was on a retractable leash and that her son Owen was riding by on a bicycle at the time of the animal attack. The dog jumped up as he rode by the table and latched on to the boy's lip. She claims that the dog actually hung on her son's lip until it tore off completely.
"He came to the shed covered in blood and I was freaking out," said Diane Ott.
Owen Ott was taken to La Porte Hospital by his father, where he was kept for the day but released later that night. His lip was repaired by a plastic surgeon, but he may have to have more plastic surgery in the future for cosmetic reasons. The doctor is waiting to see how the boy's face heals as the swelling goes down.
The dog was taken to the La Porte County Small Animal Shelter, as is written in Indiana State Law. There, the animal is under quarantine to check for rabies. According to police, the dog acted aggressively with the animal shelter employees on more than one occasion.
"The chunk was sticking out of his face. It looked horrible at the time but he's resting comfortably now," Diane Ott, the boy's mother said.
There are two sides to the story, according to La Porte County Police. According to the dog owners, Gabriel and Margorzata Przybysz of Park Forest, IL, they were visiting the small farm in order to pick blueberries with their children. The dog was leashed and tied to a picnic table while the family gathered fruit. One of the Przybysz' sons, meanwhile, watched the dog. The boy claims that when Owen Ott approached the dog, he told the six-year-old not to pet the animal. Owen was bitten when he did not listen to the warning.
Diane Ott, however, has a different story. She claims that the Chihuahua was on a retractable leash and that her son Owen was riding by on a bicycle at the time of the animal attack. The dog jumped up as he rode by the table and latched on to the boy's lip. She claims that the dog actually hung on her son's lip until it tore off completely.
"He came to the shed covered in blood and I was freaking out," said Diane Ott.
Owen Ott was taken to La Porte Hospital by his father, where he was kept for the day but released later that night. His lip was repaired by a plastic surgeon, but he may have to have more plastic surgery in the future for cosmetic reasons. The doctor is waiting to see how the boy's face heals as the swelling goes down.
The dog was taken to the La Porte County Small Animal Shelter, as is written in Indiana State Law. There, the animal is under quarantine to check for rabies. According to police, the dog acted aggressively with the animal shelter employees on more than one occasion.
