Two people charged after dog bites boy

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - Two adults are facing charges stemming from a Nov. 26 dog attack. 

According to police, four children were playing with the dog on Teach Street when witnesses heard them scream and run away. Two of the children were injured, one of them, a six-year-old boy, was taken to the hospital with bits to both arms.

Witnesses told Animal Control officers that after hearing the screams, two adults grabbed nearby objects and chased the dog. One of the adults beat the dog with a bat after it ran onto a porch. Hampton police have since charged that man with animal cruelty.

The dog left the area after being hit by a car.

On Nov. 20, Animal Control officers were told the dog had returned home. The Hampton Health Department's Environmental Health Manager said the dog's owners had to give the dog over to animal control because it was loose when the biting occurred. The owner was charged with failure to provide adequate care, failure to vaccinate the dog for rabies, not having a city dog license and dog attacking while at large.

Environmental Health Manager John Schellenberg said, "The animal has been taken to a quarantine facility where it will remain for the 10 day confinement period to make sure that it stays healthy and under confinement and as long as it stays healthy during that 10 day period, that will be proof that it does not have rabies and the child is not at risk."

If the dog does have rabies, health officials say it would die during that 10 days. The child would then be treated with a vaccination.

The dog will remain impounded until its owner's December court date.

Health officials encourage owners to keep their pets leashed.