Dog Bite - Lab

Dana Vachon comforts son Alen Forgues

on Wednesday, one day after the four year old

was severely bitten by a lab retriever mix

at a neighbour’s home in Searchmont.

Boy takes 50 stitches after Searchmont dog attack
Undergoes 3-hour surgery
By Frank Dobrovnik

A boy was severely bitten in the face by a dog Tuesday.

Dana Vachon, a Hult Road woman, and her son, Alen Forgues, 4-1/2, went next door to their home in Searchmont, around 10:15 a.m. for help with a troublesome appliance, reports Sault Ste. Marie detachment of Ontario Provincial Police.

The neighbour, the owner of the dog, accompanied the mother into her house and the boy remained outside with the dog. The two women heard growling and went out to find the lab retriever mix had attacked the boy.

He suffered bites to his head and face and required 50 stitches to close the wounds.

A family friend said the boy underwent three-hour surgery Tuesday night.

Const. Bill Mackan said the dog owner has agreed to quarantine the dog at her vet’s office. “The owner has been very co-operative with us,” Mackan said.

Whether the attack warrants charges remains undetermined, he said. The family friend said the woman and child come from Quebec and have temporarily rented the Searchmont residence.

Algoma Health Unit is assisting the investigation. AHU officials did not return a call on Wednesday to The Sault Star.