Dogs implicated in attack on Layton boy have been surrendered

LAYTON — Davis County officials say two dogs involved in an attack that resulted in a child losing his hand have been surrendered.

According to Davis County Animal Care and Control, all citations and notices of violation related to the dogs, two huskies named Polar and Bear, have been dropped. In a news release, animal control officials said: “the process of finding an animal rescue or animal sanctuary for the dogs has begun.”

KSL has learned the decision announced today came after county representatives met with the dogs’ owners and explained turning the animals over to them would prevent the case from being taken to court.

The huskies had been in quarantine since the attack, which took a four-year-old boy’s hand earlier this month. The owners had been facing charges of possessing dangerous animals and improperly containing animals deemed a public nuisance.

The boy who was attacked was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital. His mother said he lost his hand and part of his arm below the elbow and also suffered bruising and other bites.

In a post on Facebook, Hope Elizabeth Brown asks everyone reading it to find compassion for her son and her family. She writes about her son, Austin’s, struggles since the dogs bit his arm off, detailing what parts of his arm the doctor could save, the extensive care and surgeries he has had and has ahead of him.

Brown writes that this day started as any other day with her son playing in the yard like he had for the last year, until she says her son tried to pet the dogs and instead was bitten. She says her husband and child screamed at the dogs, but they wouldn’t let go. Brown also says she is thankful the dogs won’t be coming back, and that her child is again safe.

The huskies’ owner was not identified in the statement from Davis County officials.

(Contributing: Kira Hoffelmeyer)