A 2-year-old and a 12-year-old child were airlifted to St. Louis hospitals after several dogs running at large attacked them in Perryville, Missouri, Friday evening. Police and Mercy Ambulance responded to the 800 block of North Main Street at approximately 6:55 p.m. after the attack, and helicopters landed near the hospital to carry the two young victims to specialized pediatric trauma care.
The 12-year-old was taken to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital while the 2-year-old was flown to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, according to seMissourian. Both facilities serve as the primary Level I pediatric trauma centers for eastern Missouri, maintaining specialized emergency and reconstructive surgical teams.
Loose Dogs and a Small-Town Police Response
Perryville Police Department was called to the scene alongside Mercy Ambulance after several dogs running at large attacked the two children, per the same seMissourian report. Perryville, a fourth-class city of 8,555 residents as of the 2020 census, was the site of the attack.
Chapter 6.08 of the Perryville Municipal Code addresses dogs running at large and impoundment.
What Missouri Law Requires Next
Under Missouri Revised Statute Section 578.024, keeping a dangerous dog is a Class A misdemeanor when a dog with a prior unprovoked bite subsequently attacks and causes serious injury to a person. For a first attack causing serious injury, state law separately mandates immediate seizure and impoundment of the animal for 10 business days before any potential destruction, according to Missouri’s state statutes. Separately, Missouri public health guidelines mandate a 10-day bite quarantine for dogs involved in human attacks to observe them for rabies before any final release or euthanization decision, per Brown & Crouppen…