Child stabs puppy in eye

The Humane Educational Society is investigating reports a Hixson child stabbed a 10-month-old puppy in the eye with a pocketknife.

Bob Citrullo, executive director of HES, said Friday the female terrier pup had surgery and lost its eye at the RIVER emergency veterinary hospital on Amnicola Highway.

“She’s here with us and she’s doing well. … She’s safe now,” he said.

His investigators are trying to figure out what happened and will turn their findings over to the district attorney’s office. So far, he said, there’s no indication the child was trying to fend off an attack or that the stabbing was an accident.

Citrullo said he’s unsure whether the 10- or 11-year-old boy will be charged.

“This kind of scenario, a lot of times charges will follow — it’s a companion animal, we have good laws for that. But I’m concerned because of the child’s age,” he said.

“I hope he can get the help he needs,” Citrullo said. “This whole thing with the knife into the eye, I’ve not heard of that. It’s got to take a lot to get someone to do that.”

He said neighbors heard yelping and saw the bleeding dog running on Sevier Street about 10:30 Thursday night. The neighbors called police and the sheriff’s office, and officers took the injured dog for treatment.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office responded as well, though spokesman Matt Lea said Friday the HES is doing the investigation.

Citrullo said HES had been called to the same address once before, but “for nothing like this.”

The boy wasn’t living with the family when HES was called to check on two dogs at the house “to make sure they have shelter, water or food” and verify their rabies vaccinations.

He said the family complied with instructions on care for the animals.

The stabbed pup, he said, “was not in the best of shape.” She wasn’t underweight but was infested with ticks and had gravel and stones in her belly and intestines.

Citrullo said it will be up to a judge to decide whether the family gets the pup back, “but we’re going to do everything we can not to allow that to happen.”