By Staff
Jonathan Willis
A young boy had his arm severely injured Thursday afternoon when a pit bull attacked him.
Franklin County animal control officer Grady Parrish said the incident happened at 6972 Franklin 48, north of Tharptown.
Parrish said two boys were playing pool behind the home when the dog broke loose from a neighbor's yard.
"It was an unprovoked attack," he said. "The two kids were playing pool when the dog ran in there and attacked the boy."
The incident happened between 5-6 p.m. Thursday.
Officials said the boy's arm was severely injured.
Parrish said pit bulls have become a problem throughout the county in the last year.
"This is becoming commonplace in this county," he said.
"We have had several cases like this in the past year."
Parrish said the county needs some type of vicious dog law enacted, but that doesn't look likely any time soon.
"The county commission can't enforce a law like that," Parrish said.
"It has to be approved by the legislature."
The nature of pit bulls is what has animal control officials concerned.
"Pit bulls are vicious" he said.
"When they bite they intend to hurt and kill the victim."
The dog that injured the boy Thursday was taken into custody.
Jamey Congleton, environmental director for the Alabama Department of Public Health for northwest Alabama, said that domestic animals who bite a person must be quarantined for 10 days to make sure they don't have rabies.
"If it's a family-owner situation, there can be a home quarantine," Congleton said.
"If it's not the animal's owner then a veterinarian must keep it for 10 days."
Congleton said the health department only becomes involved in such cases if a doctor or hospital confirms that an attack has occurred. As of Friday afternoon, they had not been notified of this incident.
Sheriff Larry Plott said deputies responded to the scene Thursday and confirmed the attack did occur.