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Owner Whose Dog Allegedly Attacked Toddler At Murrieta Lowe's Arrested

MURRIETA (CBSLA.com) — The owner of a dog that allegedly mauled a 3-year-old child at a home improvement store Saturday has been arrested after investigators learned of two additional incidents when the animal attacked small children, police said.

Murrieta police arrested 62-year-old Robert Kahn Thursday on suspicion of felony willful cause of bodily injury by an animal after his dog lunged at the toddler and bit him in the head.

The attack took place in the garden section of a Lowe's Home Improvement store in the 24700 block of Madison Avenue after the boy, who had wandered away from his father, attempted to pet the dog, according to police.

The victim was taken to the Inland Valley Medical Center where he required 50 stitches to repair wounds around his right eye and to his jaw, neck and head. He was later transported to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego before being released.

Kahn left the scene of the Lowe's before police arrived and was identified by detectives through surveillance video. He was interviewed by police Sunday and his 75-pound Akita was taken into custody of the Animal Friends of the Valley, where the canine remains quarantined, according to Lieutenant Tony Conrad of the Murrieta Police Department.

Detectives later learned of two additional incidents in Murrieta involving Kahn and his dog in which the animal displayed aggression towards a 3-year-old and 5-year-old child, according to Lt. Conrad.

The encounters, which took place between October and November 2013, were not reported to police or animal control at the time because the children's injuries did not require hospitalization.

Kahn was book into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta with bail set at $5,000. Detectives have submitted the case to the District Attorney's Office, where it will be reviewed to determine if a criminal complaint will be filed.

Anyone with further information, including witnesses or additional dog bite victims, is asked to call Detective Jeremy Durrant at (951) 461-6354.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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