Selectmen vote 3-2 to put down Mansfield dog

MANSFIELD, Mass. (WHDH) -- Wednesday night the board of selectmen in Mansfield voted 3-2 to put down 3-year-old Milo, the dog accused of attacking a 6-year-old boy last month.

The board of selectmen met to determine Milo's future and whether the 3-year-old pointer mix should be considered dangerous.

The boy had to have over 400 stitches and was in surgery for almost two hours after Milo bit him on the face and leg.

The tearful testimony came nearly two months after dawn Hebert-Miller’s 6-year-old son was attacked by her neighbor's dog, Milo.

"It's affected him obviously physically, he's got these awful scars on his face," said Hebert-Miller.

"It is our firm belief that euthanizing Milo is a dramatic overkill response to our combined efforts to prevent any further perpetration. Doing so will not make any of the visible scars heal faster, but will only stand to deepen the unseen scars of all the victims of this unfortunate tragedy," said Michael Bailey, the dog's owner.

The meeting lasted more than two hours, and ultimately the board ruled the dog dangerous and voted to put him down.

"I don't have any animosity toward the town or selectmen. I think they gave it all the diligence it needed," Bailey said.

"There are no winners. The family of the victim who was attacked and the family that has the dog that attacked him. It's just been traumatic, horrific for all of us," Hebert-Miller said.

Milo's owners have 10 days to appeal the verdict and they told 7News they plan to do so.