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By Tammy Vigil
Reporter
August 8, 2009
ADAMS COUNTY
The dog's owner says Ariana Aragon, who is a friend of her daughter, went into a bedroom where she had placed the beagle/dachsund mix.
"She went to the foot of the bed where my dog lies in the corner, where he sleeps. She went and laid on him. And he, I don't know, probably felt threatened and bit her face. We picked her up and ran her to her mom as fast as we could," she says.
"All of a sudden, her son, and her, come running back to my house, bleeding, all full of blood, my daughter has bite marks all over face," says Ariana's mom, Jessica Aragon.
Jessica says she told the neighbor she didn't want the dog around her daughter because the animal had attacked another girl last year in the family's backyard.
"She said it would be okay, the dog would be retained in a different room from my daughter," says Jessica.
The dog's owner feels buddy got scared by Ariana. But they've decided two bites is too many times.
So the family says it will give up the animal and it will likely be destroyed.
It's an outcome that's hard for the family's children. one of them cried as he played with the dog in the living room. but they say it's the right thing to do.
"I felt awful, absolutely awful. I would never want this to happen. It breaks my heart," says the dog's owner.
And they worry the attack could damage the family's friendship.
"I've been sick, physically sick to my stomach all day, not able to get out bed because of this. We've been friends for 5 years. I just worry she won't want to talk to us no more."
But Ariana's parents wonder why it had to come to this.
Why Adams county allowed the family to keep a dog who attacked before. They say they were told in other cities like thornton and westminster one bite can lead to an animal's destruction.
They say that's has to change where they live.
"It's important if a child is bit once and as bad as my daughter looks something should be done about this. It's unacceptable," says Jessica.
And they hope their baby's beauty won't be marred by scars.
That she can continue to be a carefree kid who loves to color and watch TV.
Adams county animal control has put the dog under a 10-day quarantine at the family's house.
But they will likely pick it up on Monday now that they have completed their investigation.
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