Man arrested on suspicion that his dogs attacked an 8-year-old girl: "They are street dogs"

A man in his 50s was arrested on Thursday on suspicion that his two dogs attacked an 8-year-old girl, causing her serious bodily harm, as well as on suspicion of offenses under the Animal Welfare Law. The incident occurred on Saturday morning on Alenkava Street in the Kfar Shalem neighborhood of Tel Aviv, when the girl arrived to visit her grandmother at an apartment building. According to the investigation, she was attacked by two dogs that were roaming without their owner's supervision and without muzzles.

In the days following the attack, investigators from the Tel Aviv South station worked to identify the owner, collecting testimonies and evidence from the scene. As the investigation progressed, the suspect, whom police identify as the owner of the two dogs, was taken into custody.

It was learned by Walla that during his police interrogation, the suspect denied the allegations:

"I have no connection to these dogs. They are street dogs. On the day of the incident, I was in the north of the country."

According to the case file, the two dogs lunged at the girl at the entrance to the building, dragged her out of the lobby, and bit her all over her body. The attack was halted only after a passerby who heard her screams threw stones at the dogs and chased them away.

The girl was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition, where she underwent a series of surgeries. After four days of hospitalization, she was able to stand on her feet again. The investigation is ongoing.

Attorney Chen Palchi, representing the suspect, stated in response to Walla:

"My client denies any connection to the incident. The dogs are not in his ownership or under his responsibility, and the police would do well to release him from the station without any conditions."

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