SANDY, Utah — A 5-year-old is recovering with 2,000 to 3,000 stitches after being attacked by a dog on Wednesday.
Mason Mihlberger was riding his bike in Sandy, located just outside Salt Lake City, when a Siberian husky grabbed the boy and dragged him across the road, according to KSL-TV.
His mother, who was nearby, heard the boy’s screams when the attack began. Tori Mihlberger told KSL that the dog was pulling him across the road when she arrived to help.
“His eyes were locked on Mason. As I came up, the dog was dragging him across the road, just throwing him around like a rag doll. I don’t know why but that dog wanted to kill my son,” Tori Mihlberger told KSL.
After a struggle, she freed her son, but the dog continued to follow her and her husband. They pinned the dog down and said it didn’t have any tags.
According to KTVX, the 5-year-old suffered injuries to his face and arms. He was later airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital.
Mason Mihlberger will need to undergo reconstructive surgery to his ear and additional surgeries, according to a GoFundMe page set up on his behalf.
Police said the dog’s owner, who lived nearby, was not home when the attack occurred. Animal services are holding the dog, the station reported.