A seven-year-old boy from North Carolina needed ‘100 stitches’ after being ‘ripped apart’ by his neighbor’s dog.
Cason sustained horrific injuries during the attack, in which the 150-pound Shepherd-St. Bernard mix tackled him to the ground and mauled his head.
Tracy Smith, the youngster’s grandmother, has since released graphic images of his injuries, revealing the deep, bloody lacerations the dog inflicted on the back of his skull.
Surprisingly, Tracy stated that the animal was later allowed to return to its home in Hampstead under North Carolina’s “one bite” rule. This limits owners’ liability for a dog’s first mauling if it has no history of aggression.
She now wants the law changed and has started an online petition to gather signatures, claiming her family “lives in fear” of another attack.
Tracy wrote on the page, “Prior to the attack, Cason was a happy, outdoor-loving child who rode his bike, played basketball, and spent hours laughing with his friends in the yard. Since the attack, the joy has been replaced by fear.
“He is too scared to play outside, and his once-bright world has been dimmed by trauma.” Meanwhile, the dog that attacked him lives right next door.
Our family is now living in fear, unable to feel safe even in our own backyard… This is not only about our family. Every family with children, grandchildren, or loved ones deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood.
“A dog’s life should not be valued above human safety. It is time for North Carolina to enact stricter laws that hold dog owners responsible for serious attacks, regardless of prior knowledge of the dog’s behavior.”
Tracy wrote that on the day of the attack, she agreed to care for her neighbor’s dog. But it then “escaped the home” and spotted Cason, who was approaching her door. Tracy claimed it jumped onto his back and viciously attacked him from behind.
She wrote: “We were dog-sitting for our next-door neighbors when their dog, a 150-pound German Shepherd-St. Bernard mix, escaped their house. Cason was approaching our front door when the dog charged at him from behind, tackled him to the ground, and began mauling the back of this child’s head.
“I tried desperately to get the dog off my precious grandson, but the animal’s sheer strength was overwhelming. Thankfully, my husband was able to intervene by putting the dog in a chokehold and pulling the beast away from us. We were able to run inside after the dog left us alone.”
Tracy described the attack as “unprovoked” and “brutal”. She also stated that it left Cason with “both physical and emotional scars.” She has now called on North Carolina politicians to make three changes to the law regarding dangerous dogs.
These are the dogs that cause severe injury in unprovoked attacks and should be removed from residential areas. Owners of dangerous dogs should face harsher penalties for failing to prevent attacks. She also believes North Carolina should repeal the “one-bite rule” and hold owners responsible for any attacks that cause serious harm.
She added on the petition page, “We are not trying to vilify all dogs. This is about protecting innocent lives from animals that have proven to be a threat to the community.
“Cason’s story is not unique; countless others have suffered as a result of weak laws that do not prioritize human safety. We cannot allow this to continue. Let Cason’s pain be the last. Allow his story to inspire change.
