Marble – A toddler playing in the front yard was attacked by a neighbor’s dog and severely injured on Sept. 23, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a dog bite involving a 3-year-old child off Luther Branch Road.
The child was in the front yard of a residence with a relative when the dog bite occurred. The dog, a domesticated pet named Max, reportedly bit the child in the face and neck area.
The child was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., for further medical evaluation and treatment. The child’s condition was not released.
The dog’s owner, identified by the sheriff’s office as Michael Schwerin, is a neighbor.
He told deputies he was inside his home at the time of the incident and was notified immediately after it occurred. He retrieved the dog and secured him in a kennel. He said the dog had never shown aggressive behavior and was familiar with the neighbors, often being petted and played with.
Witnesses said that the incident appeared to be unprovoked, according to the sheriff’s office.
“It was also noted that the dog is known to be particularly protective of one of the adults present at the time of the incident, which may have contributed to the behavior,” according to a sheriff’s release.
The case is under investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, which declared Max a dangerous dog and has ordered it to be confined.
Sheriff Dustin Smith hopes everyone will join him in wishing the young child and his family the best of wishes and a speedy, full recovery.