SANDY, Utah — An 8-year-old Sandy boy has a months-long recovery ahead after he was attacked by a pitbull earlier this month, and his family says it's not the first time the dog has been violent in the neighborhood.
Like any child, Jeffrey Anderson loves playing outside with his friends, but his father says things have changed since his son was attacked by the next door neighbor's dog.
"You should feel safe to go outside your front door and play, not worrying about if somebody's dog is going to come get you," said Jeffrey's father, Daniel Anderson.
According to his dad, Jeffrey is being brave, but he doesn't want to go outside and is even nervous with the family's own dog. He added that his son can't go to sleep unless he's with his parents and the door is shut.
"When I was walking upstairs the dog got out, got onto my leg and started shaking it around," Jeffrey explained. "I was really scared it was going to rip my leg off."
Jeffrey was treated at the hospital after the attack, leaving with gruesome injuries that haven't fully healed.
"After the 2-3 months of kind of treating the wounds now, we'll be looking at a year when they'll clean up the scar tissue, then we'll have to do a skin graft," said Daniel.
The Anderson's claim the recent attack wasn't the first incident involving the dog and their neighbors.
"We've asked them to keep it on a leash, we've asked them to make sure if it's outside it can't get out or can't get to where the children are, so it is very frustrating," Daniel said.
Back in July, Jeffrey was allegedly bit by the dog in a separate incident, while Sandy police say another neighbor was bit about six months ago.
"A dog was attacked by this same dog, and in the process of that dog attack actually taking place, the owner tried to intervene to break them up and that owner got bit," said Sgt. Greg Moffitt with the Sandy Police Department.
Citations have been issued and the pitbull is no longer with the dog's owners, while Jeffrey's case has been referred to justice court.
A GoFundMe fundraiser was initiated to help the family pay for medical costs.
