LAYTON, Utah -- A petition is gathering support to spare the lives of two dogs involved in an incident that cost a 4-year-old boy his hand.
The petition describes the situation as unfortunate for all sides but hopes to save the lives of the two animals.
Authorities said the young boy had put a sock over his hand before reaching beneath the fence that separates his backyard from the one where the huskies were kept. That is when one of the dogs bit the child, severing his hand above the wrist.
Jessica Nusz who, said her best friend's dog was involved in the unfortunate accident has launched a Care2 Petition.
She is asking for signatures to hand over to Davis County Animal Control in an effort to help convince investigators the dogs don't deserve to be put down.
Nusz said she's known the dogs, named Polar and Bear, since they were puppies.
"They've always been really nice," she said.
She thinks the dogs probably thought the boy's hand in a sock was a play toy.
"Had they known the boy was on the other side they wouldn't have attacked," Nusz said.
By Tuesday morning, the petition had gathered more than 21,000 signatures and had a revised goal of 50,000.
Both dogs are currently in quarantine.
“Every animal that breaks skin in Davis County will be quarantined for 10 days for rabies observation,” said Rhett Nicks, Director of Davis County Animal Care and Control.
Nicks said because the incident involves a severe injury to a human, they are carrying out a dangerous dog investigation.
The results, he said, could " range from nothing being done if the dogs are found to be not dangerous" to the dogs being euthanized if they are found dangerous.
“We look at the whole situation,” Nicks said. “We try to look at every situation that could determine the animal dangerous, as well as could mitigate the fact that the animal is dangerous.”
