Pit Bull Mauls Off Small Boy’s Arm During Attack; Child Was Trying To Pet Puppies

A pit bull tore off a little boy’s arm during an attack in Oklahoma.

Four-year-old Axel Foster had to immediately be taken to the hospital after a pit bull mauled his arm off completely after attacking him Friday night, Newsweek reports. The news outlet reports that the boy’s arm was ripped off below his shoulder. He was at his grandparents’ house at the time in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.

“I’ve seen dog bites in the past and experienced pretty brutal dog bites with children but never a complete amputation,” said Tecumseh Police Department Chief JR Kidney to KFOR of NBC. “When officers and animal control attempted to retrieve the arm, the dog became aggressive to them.” The dog was shot and killed after the incident.

This all happened after the boy tried to pet some puppies inside a pen. When he reached his hand inside, that’s when the dog reportedly attacked. “The child’s arm was still in the pen. I could see the arm inside, and one of the puppies was trying to chew on it,” said Officer Aaron McCormick in a police report.

Now, the boy is not only fighting to have his arm attached, his life is also on the line. “We raced to the hospital. When we got there, the nurses confirmed his arm was dismembered from his body,” said the boy’s mother, Destiny McDow.

The grandparents could face child neglect charges if Axel is found to have been left alone at the time of the attack. He’s now had two surgeries.

“We do not have his updated condition. At this time it appears to be an accident. We are waiting for DHS to finish its investigation. The boy was staying with his grandparents and went to try to pet the puppies,” said Kidney.