JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A child and mother were bitten by a dog Tuesday afternoon at the Animal Care and Protective Services building in the Mixon Town neighborhood, according to a statement from a city spokesperson.
The spokesperson said it happened around 3:45 p.m. A source told News4Jax the child's injuries appeared to be serious but not life-threatening.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department confirmed transporting a child to the hospital.
Michael Miller told News4Jax that he has adopted three animals from the shelter and was there on Tuesday looking for a fourth. He said families frequently do meet-and-greets with animals in rooms away from the main lobby.
"There are some puppies that are not really adoptable and some dogs that are not really adoptable," Miller said. "They need to vet the system a little better and make sure these dogs are able to be around people."
A statement from the city read:
"We care greatly about the safety of every citizen in Jacksonville and we are saddened to hear about the incident today at Animal Control and Protective Services. We are troubled with these events and will be reviewing all procedures and processes to ensure safety at our facility. Since this is an ongoing investigation, we have no other comment at this time beyond our sincere thoughts for the swift and complete recovery of the mom and her child."
The dog will be quarantined for the next 10 days. At that time, the investigation will be complete and the city can provide more information about the incident, a spokeswoman said.