Updated at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2001

Child recovering after being mauled by dog

Advertiser Staff

PU'UNENE, Maui — Maui Humane Society officials are hoping the owner of a dog that mauled a 6-year-old Makawao boy on Monday will turn the animal in to be destroyed.

The boy, Alex Pyle, is recovering at home after surgery to repair wounds to his scalp and face. He had gone to his neighbor's house across the street to play with their dog, as he had done many times before, when he was attacked by the larger dog, said Aimee Anderson, animal control supervisor with the Maui Humane Society. The dog had been brought to the property by a workman painting the neighbor's house and was tied up at the time of the attack, she said.

The Humane Society was not notified of the incident until the following day. Anderson said the agency is not interested in prosecuting the dog owner but wants to make sure the animal does not get a chance to hurt someone else.

"We are concerned about getting this dog turned in. Considering the extent of the attack, it needs to be destroyed," Anderson said.