WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — The Kent County medical director has determined a dog blamed for injuries to a little girl may not be responsible.
The decision was made public on Thursday and means that the dog can be released to his family.
A bullmastiff-boxer mix named Tucker has been locked up for the past nine days because of a claim that he attacked a 4-year-old girl who lives next door.
The girl was taken to the emergency room last week after her family noticed blood on her pants, where family members said she had to undergo surgery and get stitches.
The dog’s owner Morgan Gibson said she was outside when her dog jumped the fence, and that he didn’t attack the girl.
"She ran into the road, he did a little U-turn around her," said Gibson. "By the time he finished the circle I grabbed him ... Hours went by before they reported anything, anything could have happened. She could have hurt herself at the park."
Wyoming police originally said the child’s injuries were consistent with a dog bite, so the case was turned over to animal control as part of standard procedures. On Thursday, the Kent County Health Department’s medical director determined there isn’t sufficient evidence to determine if the dog caused the injuries.
Thursday evening, a Kent County Animal Shelter sent a statement saying its investigation "reveals it is more likely than not that the dog did bite the girl involved in the alleged incident."