More on Dog Mauling Incident

A 3-year old boy remains in a children's hospital in Winston-Salem after being mauled by a family dog Sunday. Randy Sharke and his parents live next door to his grandfather on Prevette Ridge Road. His folks say Randy walked over to his granddad's on his own about 9:30 yesterday morning. No one was home, it turns out. His granddad, Melvin Day, owns a German Shepherd. It's unclear what caused the dog to turn on Randy, but his parents heard the boy screaming and went to help him, finding him behind the house. He was severely injured, and airlifted to Winston-Salem. His current condition is not available.

Deputies and animal control officers were able to capture the dog without injuring themselves or the pet. The German Shepherd is under observation currently, and if 10 days pass without it showing signs of rabies, the owners will be given the option of putting the dog down or registering it as a dangerous animal under the county ordinance. That would require building an enclosure for the dog that could cost as much as 35-hundred dollars.

Deputies have discussed the case with the Department of Social Services, but the content of those discussions are not a matter of public record.