It will be up to Orange County animal control officers to decide what to do with a German shepherd that bit a 2-year-old’s face near Newport Pier, police said Wednesday.
Monday afternoon, police said the Anaheim boy was eating with his parents at Baja Sharkeez in Newport. On their way to the restaurant, the family crossed paths with a German shepherd that was leashed to a tree on McFadden Place, said Lt. Craig Fox. The boy petted the dog without incident and the family went to eat.
Afterward, the boy went back to say goodbye to the dog, Fox said.
“The dog kind of bristled, then bit him,” Fox said an animal control officer reported.
Attempts to reach the boy’s parents were unsuccessful Wednesday.
The dog bit the boy’s face. Police said the bite wound required stitches.
“It’s likely an accident,” Fox said. “I don’t know. To me, there’s a difference between a dog that’s running loose attacking people and one that’s tied up and approached by someone.”
