Girl, 10, Treated For Facial Injuries After Dog Attack At School Bus Stop

JURUPA VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — A 10-year-old Desert Hot Springs girl was hospitalized Wednesday after a dog bit her in the face while waiting for school bus, officials said.

The attack happened shortly after 8 a.m. at the corner of 7th Street and West Drive, according to Riverside County Animal Services.

Officials say the dog, a 2-year-old Husky mix named Ollie, bit the girl at least once and possibly twice in the face. The mother immediately transported the girl to the Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Animal Services Officer James Huffman responded and retrieved the dog from a yard where it had presumably returned, officials said.

While no one called 911 following the attack, Huffman notified the Desert Hot Springs Police Department as a precaution since it was unknown if the dog was still roaming, according to officials.

Police believe the victim - who may have been familiar with Ollie - was petting the dog while she waited at the bus stop when the dog turned and bit her for some unknown reason.

According to Huffman, a neighbor had cared for Ollie after a couple had abandoned the dog at a home on 7th Street.

"Even if this little girl was familiar with the dog, pet owners must realize that they should not allow their dog to roam freely," Riverside County Animal Services Director Robert Miller said. "If this dog is within its own yard, this little girl doesn't get bit at the bus stop. Period."

The dog will be impounded and quarantined at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, according to officials.