Dog attacks 3 kids during recess after crawling under school fence, Nebraska cops say
An escaped dog chased and bit several children on a playground during recess at a Nebraska school, according to police and news outlets.
Officers with the Omaha Police Department responded to a call at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, about a dog attack at the Holy Name School, according to a police news release.
Investigators say the dog lived at a home across the street from the school. The owner’s girlfriend let it out into the backyard and it escaped, then headed for the school where children were playing outside, police said.
The dog crawled under a fence around the playground and attacked, chasing and biting children, according to police.
Three children were bitten by the dog, which was described as a pit bull and boxer mix, police told KETV.
Police said the children were taken to a hospital with “various bite injuries” that were non-life-threatening.
Barbara Robinson, a parent of a 10-year-old girl who was attacked by the dog, told WOWT that her sense of safety has been shaken.
“I’m angry,” she told the station. “My baby was attacked ... not when running down the street, not walking, but at school on her playground.”
The school did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on Nov. 7.
”The safety of students is our highest priority at Holy Name Catholic School and the incident was very unexpected,” interim Principal Chris Segrell said in a statement to WOWT. “The dog squeezed under a fence to gain access to where the children were playing during recess. Our teachers and staff reacted quickly to get students to safety and to treat three injured students until paramedics arrived.”
The owner turned the dog over to the Nebraska Humane Society, and it was euthanized, KETV reported.
Police cited the dog’s owner for not having a pet license or current pet vaccinations, and their girlfriend received an unrestrained animal citation, according to the release.
This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Dog attacks 3 kids during recess after crawling under school fence, Nebraska cops say."