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  • Dog Sought After Biting Boy Save Email Print
    If not found soon, 13-year-old will need rabies shots
    Posted: 5:36 PM Jul 1, 2008
    Last Updated: 5:11 PM Jul 2, 2008
    Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

    A | A | A

    A reward is being offered to find a large black dog named “Milo" that bit a boy on the nose while he was walking in the area of 67th and Pratt Tuesday afternoon.

    Thirteen-year-old Darian Finney was a block from home when he bent down to tie his shoes. A man came by walking his dog. The dog was on a leash, but it jumped and bit Darian's nose.

    "I think the dog looked at me and thought I looked like a snake or something to him so he just crunched my nose."

    The bite left a huge gash on Darian's nose and a hat covered in blood. Shocked, Darian looked at the dog and his owner for help, but instead got this: "The dog just looked at me and the owner and the dog just walked off.”

    "A responsible pet owner would have made sure that he got to his parent's house and told us that his dog was fine," says Darian’s father, John Petersen.

    Which is why Darian's father is now trying to find the large black dog with short hair and a long tail and long snout. The man called it "Milo." If the dog isn't located and tested within 10 days, Darian will need to undergo painful rabies shots.

    "I don't want the dog to be destroyed,” says Petersen. “I just want to make sure the owner's had its proper shots and he doesn't have to go through getting the rabies shots. It's painful."

    Anyone with information about the dog or its owner should call the Nebraska Humane Society at 444-7800, extension 1.

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    Posted by: dave on Jul 5, 2008 at 05:47 PM
    If people were as fired up about the illegal war in Iraq as they are about dogs, We'd be out of there be now and all those dead sons and daughters would still be alive...mis-placed priorities. Don't you people see this is all a publicity stunt for the Mayor to regain some credibility after his Sokal stunt and the horrible Katrina like way he has handled the storm debris issue?

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 5, 2008 at 01:26 PM
    Just think, if this man came forward earlier, or would have taken responsibility in the first place, this wouldn't even had to have made the news.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 4, 2008 at 06:09 PM
    To A, noone has said that pit bulls are the only breed capable of causing physical harm. I think it's pretty obvious to any who have experienced a pit bull attack that they are more likely to attack and more extreme measures are required to stop a pit bull attack than with other dogs. As for a lab causing the kind of damage you describe sounds more than a little far flung. Are you sure you know a labrador when you see one? Know how most so-called labrador bites occur? A labrador licks someone in the face, the person jerks their head back and scratches their nose on a dog tooth. It looks like a safe bet that's what happened here. Not much harm but if skin is broken the humane society has to treat is as a dog bite. I hope the owner comes forward and Darian can avoid rabies shots. With the spin this story has taken and the stance many have taken without thinking it through, I can see where the owner might be reluctant to come forward.

    Posted by: Mary O. on Jul 3, 2008 at 10:57 PM
    What a nasty, cold & heartless human this man is. Usually these owners complain that it's not their fault, but to walk off while a child is suffering??? Fortunately, it shouldn't be too hard to find the dog since its description and name are all over the news... assuming someone decent will come forward. It sure isn't going to be the owner.

    Posted by: Biff on Jul 3, 2008 at 02:36 PM
    So, Hons, you would also ban basset hounds, English bulldogs and standard poodles (to name a few) in addition to rotts, pits, and labs? Just wondering.....

    Posted by: To Hons Baby on Jul 3, 2008 at 02:14 PM
    Hons -- Poopie - this IS America you know. If I wish to have a large dog I will (I have 2, a German Shepard/Doby mix and a Lab). I now feel sorry for you, because if as your name is as it sounds, she got more brains from Germany than you did! IT IS NOT RHE DOG - IT IS HOW THEY ARE RAISED AND TREATED PEOPLE !

    Posted by: None on Jul 3, 2008 at 01:36 PM
    You don't want the dog destroyed yet you want it tested...how do you think they test for rabies..they kill the animal. Why not ask for proof of vaccinations?

    Posted by: BoBo on Jul 3, 2008 at 01:08 PM
    Who ever isn't comming foreward to save this boy rabies shot has got to be the lowest of absolute low lifes. What an absolute piece of garbage.

    Posted by: Hons Incorrecto on Jul 3, 2008 at 12:49 PM
    Hons probably thinks that OPD desn't need large dogs either. He also thinks that OPD should patrol in cardboard cars.

    Posted by: Rod on Jul 3, 2008 at 11:41 AM
    How many of you that tell stories of dogs running loose in your neighborhood have called in to report it?

    Posted by: Hons on Jul 3, 2008 at 09:24 AM
    What I want to know is why all these people feel it necessary to have large dogs in this city regardless of the breed. If you want a big dog, move out to the country. I don't blame these dogs for biting. I'd be upset if I was cooped up in a cramped house or leashed up in a yard all day. Large dogs need lots of room to run and let out all they're energy. I don't blame any dog for their aggression. I think Omaha should ban any dog over 25 lbs. Anybody who thinks they should have a dog larger than that should be required to live in a cardboard box. Shame on the dog? Shame on you! As for the guy who just walked away... Karma is an evil thing. I'd watch out.

    Posted by: To Bellevue on Jul 3, 2008 at 08:57 AM
    You just don't get it, do you? No one said ONLY Pitt Bulls attack. It is all supported by stats. Using your logic, we should allow lions and tigers as pets because poodles bite people two. I don't care if a lab bites as well. There are thousands of labs in Omaha and you see FEWER attacks from the much smaller population of pitt bulls. This is flat out proof that one breed is worse than another.

    Posted by: Tones on Jul 3, 2008 at 07:46 AM
    If not for the question of rabies -- the boy is virtually unharmed. This story is not in the same category as a pitbull attack. This is a story of a neglegent owner who should have heeled his leashed dog better, and should have stuck around to take responsibility for his failure to do so. A pitbull attack would have left this boy in the emergency room fighting for his life. This is apples and oranges folks.

    Posted by: TO LORI on Jul 3, 2008 at 07:01 AM
    First off not everyone that owns pit bulls are scum. This dog was a Large black dog no where did anyone mention a pit bull. Its not the dog that needs to be banned but owners that know nothing on how to treat animals that need to be banned. I happen to own a pit bull/terrier and she is very sweet i am also a vet tech so am i a scum ? No i work hard and traet my dog vrey well as she does me. We ban smoking now pit bulls why not ban living in Omaha. I live near very unruley scumteenagers should we ban them as well?

    Posted by: Lori on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:46 PM
    A cut on the nose is NOTHING compared to what that pit bull did to that baby (of course, with no rabies proof, I hope this boy doesn't have to undergo rabies shots. SHAME on the owner...another irresponsible idiot in Omaha). Maybe if we ban pit bulls, we can rid this city of scum people. In the meantime, I urge all people walking or biking to carry a good, strong club, and beat to death any dog that goes for your throat (or any OTHER part of your body). I grew up with dogs, wouldn't mind having a dog again someday, but for now we have housecats and they have yet to attack ANYONE, even us. But I wouldn't hesitate to crush the skull of ANY dog that went for me in a ferocious manner.

    Posted by: A on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:54 PM
    Explain this one to me, you obvious dog behavioralist specialists. Years ago in Grand Island when my cousin was four she was attacked by not a pit bull "le gasp!!" but a black lab. The dog ripped up her scalp, tore half of her nose, and literally mauled her leaving her scarred and half blind in one eye. Guess what the dog did that was so strange, he went for her throat. If he would not have been beaten over the head he would've killed her. Tell me now that only Pit Bulls and other dogs of such tainted breeding are the only ones capable of such a thing. I've seen first hand what a "dog" is capable of, so maybe instead of worrying about this breed and that breed, maybe we should be wary of all dogs running loose on the street. And tell your children not to call out to stray animals. You can underestimate what any dog is capable of, and that is where you are going to get hurt. And it's really true that pit bulls think about nothing more then killing people... Riiiight!

    Posted by: Sue on Jul 2, 2008 at 05:44 PM
    I agree with several people, that if this had been a pitbull,it would not have been a bite on the nose, his face would have been bitten off. It also sounds like it's possible that the dog might have jumped up on the boy in a playful manner (bad manners), and banged his head into the boys nose with his muzzle. The owner needs to come forward with the dog, so that the boy does not have to go through the rabies shots, if it's not necessary.

    Posted by: Brando on Jul 2, 2008 at 05:08 PM
    It seems like every day now I read the news and there's another dog attack. People, we need to do something! Aren't you tired of hearing of dog attacks day after day? Stand up and fight to ban all vicious breeds, although i'm not saying this particular dog was vicious. And to the owner of the dog: Be a man, step forward, and confess! If you don't, you would be a coward and you would be causing this boy a great deal of pain! Just think how you would feel if you were this boy and do what's right!

    Posted by: Jake on Jul 2, 2008 at 02:25 PM
    The kid is still alive to tell his story. This obviously wasn't a pit bull attack.

    Posted by: CJ on Jul 2, 2008 at 01:23 PM
    All Dogs can be Bad if the owner allows it. Point Proven! Let's just BAN all Dogs. People need to get a life, be responsible. Let's see Ban Smoking, Bully Breeds, how about Banning Booze!!

    Posted by: Terri on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:25 PM
    Being a victim of a dog bite when I was 10 I know the pain they can cause. Tell me something why did this man and his dog walk away like nothing happened? If it were my child bitten I would be extremly grateful he comes forward to avoid the shots. Don't confuse that with the need to have you be responsible for what your dog has caused mentally and finacially. Both need to be handled.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:01 PM
    I've seen injuries like this before. They happened like this. A kid bends down to play with a toy or tie his/her shoe. A dog comes up and licks the kid in the face. The kid being startled jerks their head back and scratches his/her nose on a tooth. I'm not saying that's what happened here, but I've seen it happen and the result was a scratch just like the one on Darian's nose. I'm more than a little suprized this story even made the local media. There's a big difference between this and a pit bull attack.

    Posted by: Vinny on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:42 AM
    What kind of human trash walks off after his dog bites a kid?! That type of gutless action should warrant jailtime.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:14 AM
    Hope they find the dog and lock the owner up. It couldn't have been a pit because he didn't get half his face ripped off so yes its just a dog.

    Posted by: Steve on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:05 AM
    To Patty...It doesn't even say what kind of dog breed it was. It IS a big deal, regardless of the breed ! A bite is a bite is a bite !

    Posted by: DJ on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:52 AM
    Hey Patty, clearly they do NOT know the breed or they would mention it to help identify the dog. A little defensive aren't ya?

    Posted by: boo hoo Patty on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:50 AM
    Patty, think before you speak. All that has been reported is that is was a big black dog. God forbid, that little boy should have know exactly what breed it was while being bitten. Nobody else saw it so they don't know what kind of "dog" it is. You dog people need to get a life and realize that dogs are just that...dogs. They can be nice as they can be but it only takes one time for it to turn on someone and bite. It is a dog, nobody has control over it. Sure you can train it but you never, ever, ever know what it may or may not do. Again, I repeat, they are DOGS!!

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:47 AM
    Did anyone ever think that the dog's breed wasn't given because the boy didn't know? Come on people.

    Posted by: mike on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:41 AM
    Patty, I'm guessing the reason it doesn't mention a breed is because they don't know what breed it is. Don't you think they would mention what breed it is if they knew...especially since they're looking for the dog?! They're not trying to make this a riddle...they're looking for a dog that bit a boy to make sure he's up to date on his shots. Any information they had about the dog would help them to track it down, so if they knew a breed, then I'm sure they would mention it.

    Posted by: mjl on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:36 AM
    Is this kid telling the truth? to me it doesnt look like a bite. How knows who is at fault. Any witnesses around?

    Posted by: anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:33 AM
    Hope the Mayor and City Council read this before making an ignorant decision like banning a breed, all dog's bite that have owners that don't have a clue! Yes even a poodle will bite! Doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure this out!

    Posted by: Delancy on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:29 AM
    "Large black dog with short hair and a long tail and snout" Doesn't sound like a pit to me...sounds like a lab! Which just goes to show that bad dog owners can create bad dogs out of any breed. This owner should come forward to save this boy the pain and medical expenses of rabies shots.

    Posted by: Manck on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:08 AM
    At least this dog wasn't a pit bull, this kids whole face would be gone, the owner of this dog isn't a good person, step up man and pay any medical costs. And still the ban on pitt bulls needs to happen, I can just imagine what the news story would have been if a pit had bitten this young boy, the damage would have been a lot more than this.

    Posted by: Angry on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:48 AM
    This man is a COWARD!! What man would leave a little kid bleeding on the street? Not a real man---a COWARD!!!! I hope they catch this idiot and prosecute him to the fullest. Had he stayed, he may have had to pay for stitches but that's it, now I hope he pays and is prosecuted by the law. Or if someone else is harboring this animal so it won't get caught, they should be prosecuted also. Remember about a year ago that happened, don't believe anything happened to the individuals hiding the dog, thought that was awful.

    Posted by: S on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:38 AM
    I really hope this "man" is man enough to come forward, but I am sure he won't be if he wouldn't even stop to help the young boy. Someone else will have to be the bigger person & turn him in. Regardless of the type of dog, the issue here is the unhuman reaction of the dog owner. I usually don't believe in filing a lawsuit, but this may be one instance where I say "Go for it". What a weasel.

    Posted by: Jill on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:33 AM
    To Patty: The dog was being identified by a child. I don't think he knows the difference between a rott, pit, or lab. Give the kid a break.

    Posted by: TO Patty on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:33 AM
    Give me a break. First of all, no one said only one dog bites. They only mention that one breed bites more frequently, has a jaw that locks down and does a LOT more damage than any other dog. Second, reports say the dog probably had SOME pitt bull in it. However, lets use your GREAT logic and let people own tigers, so long as they don't bite as frequently as a poodle.

    Posted by: Michael on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:31 AM
    Patty, Yes, all bites are bad, but there's a huge difference between a pit bull bite and say, a retriever bite. If this kid was bitten by a pit bull, he wouldn't have a face left. To say that the two bites are the same is just plain ignorance.

    Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:28 AM
    Come on people, if you know someone that has a dog named Milo and fits the description then turn the owner in. Who wouldn't want a reward? I can tell you that even if it was only a $100.00 that would fill up my truck for a week. I wish I knew the man that owns Milo because this poor boy will have to go through alot of painful shots! Speak up people!

    Posted by: Jen on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:47 AM
    How could someone walk off and leave a child bleeding? SAD!!!!

    Posted by: John on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:46 AM
    I'm sorry this kid got a scratch on his nose. From the looks of this picture the owner may not have realized Darian was injured. There's a big difference between what happened here and having a pit bull rip your head halfway off. I'm not being unsympathetic toward Darian, and I wish him better luck in the future. However I think the contrast between this incident and the results of the pit bull attack which occured just recently demonstrates why we need breed specific laws regarding pit bulls.

    Posted by: D on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:36 AM
    The owner clearly needs some jail time. What a shameful display of human emotions.

    Posted by: W on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:26 AM
    Lets ban bad owners. A dog is just being a dog but an owner is supposed to teach, just like a parent is supposed to teach, how to behave in public.

    Posted by: Biff on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:18 AM
    Totally agree with you, HD. The more I read about these incidents, the more I'm leaning toward going after the owners, not the particular breeds. It's the PEOPLE that are more frequently the evil ones, not so much the dogs. The people train the dogs to be "bad" and not the other way around. Of course, this does mean that people have to be willing to turn in their neighbors, if need be - if some aren't willing to do that when a person is shot, I'm not sure they'll be more likely to do it when a person is bit. I hope they find this rotten, irresponsible dog owner and give him something more than a rap on the knuckles and sending him on his way.

    Posted by: Probably A. Pit on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:17 AM
    Maybe they didn't specify a breed, because the boy wasn't a famous international dog expert (AKA "pit bull apologist") like Patty seems to be, and couldn't be sure.

    Posted by: bill on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:11 AM
    Patty, you are right, all bites are bad. The thing you fail to mention is that in this incident the dog let go. Your bully breeds would have tried to drag him off and maybe kill him. They don't let go! Your bully breeds are the same as an AK-47, they serve no purpose what so ever. I really hope that you have no children and expose them to your ignirant thinking. It's not if they will attack, its when. Wake up!

    Posted by: HL on Jul 2, 2008 at 08:00 AM
    From the description, sounds like it could be a black Lab. What an absolute moron of an owner. If he was walking the dog, he must live reasonably close to that area. I certainly hope that someone who knows who the dog belongs to would report this inconsiderate low-life, anonymously if they're worried about being identified.

    Posted by: John on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:36 AM
    Patty here's the thing that you and the pit bull lovers don't understand until a pit bull turns on you. If it had been a pit it would not have just bitten his nose it would have taken his nose and much of the rest of his face and probably not stopped there. This is an unfortunate story and the dog owner was a jerk. But thank God it wasn't a pit bull and this kid will grow up without horrible scars or crippling injuries.

    Posted by: Linda on Jul 2, 2008 at 06:03 AM
    Come on man, do the right thing and come forward! What goes around comes around, you know

    Posted by: Lisa on Jul 2, 2008 at 03:33 AM
    Patty: The difference is if a pit bull had bitten this boy instead of a nip on the nose he wouldn't have a face left!! NO ONE needs to own a "bully breed" dog. No one. As for "Milo's" owner... I can hardly believe anyone is so irresponsible and callous as to just walk off after their dog bites a kid in the face! I sure hope there was enough description that someone recognizes the dog and reports them.

    Posted by: Dan on Jul 2, 2008 at 03:15 AM
    Patty, if it was one of the dogs you talk about the kid would be in the hospital for a few day or longer. maybe even worse. Most "non bully breeds" bite then move on. They don't try to kill. BIG differance. But still this owner should have controlled his dog and most Defiantly should come foward. Again, breeds labeled "bully" try to KILL when they attack people. That is the problem with those breeds. BAN THEM OR KILL THEM

    Posted by: me on Jul 2, 2008 at 02:18 AM
    yes...let's sue...because in America we have NO other recourse except to sue...I hope this dog owner comes forward or someone who knows him comes forward. I hope the boy is okay!

    Posted by: HD on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:32 AM
    Thats right, don't take responsibility for your actions or the actions of your pet. This jerk didn't even say I'm sorry, what would make you you think he would help the boy. His mistake was saying the dogs name. Someone out there knows who it is and will report it. I'm sure the upstanding dog owner will deny even being there let alone that his dog bit anyone. If the owner has no legal responsibility here, then there certainly is a moral reponsibility to have helped the child and pay for any medical costs resulting from the bite. It would seem to me that he has no morals at all.

    Posted by: me on Jul 1, 2008 at 10:50 PM
    The dog owner needs to come forward!!!

    Posted by: Patty on Jul 1, 2008 at 09:18 PM
    OH, now its just "a dog" if it were a pit or a rott or a doby it would be a big deal, but this bite, because it wasnt by one of the "bully breeds" doesnt warranty the bad rap that the others do and is "just a dog"? Sad, way to much mediasizing of these events cause alot of the problems. All bites are bad, not just from specific breeds.

    Posted by: Probably A. Pit on Jul 1, 2008 at 09:08 PM
    I'm guessing that it was one of those would-never-hurt-anyone pit bulls.

    Posted by: bill on Jul 1, 2008 at 05:49 PM
    Another upstanding citizen Im not surprised Im guessing the dog has no license, rabies shot or other shots I hope the kids family sue this great dog owner if they ever find him.

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