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Six-month-old loses finger in stray dog attack at Junnar tehsil office
The child was first treated at a government hospital in Junnar and later referred to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) in Pune, where he underwent plastic surgery on Thursday
A six-month-old boy lost a finger and suffered severe facial injuries after a stray dog attacked him while he was asleep in a stroller inside the Junnar tehsil office premises on Wednesday, officials said.
The child was first treated at a government hospital in Junnar and later referred to Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) in Pune, where he underwent plastic surgery on Thursday. Doctors said the child is under close observation and admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
The incident took place at 1 pm inside the tehsil office premises, where a new administrative building is under construction. The child’s father was working as a construction labourer at the site, while his mother was washing clothes nearby. The boy was asleep when a stray dog suddenly attacked him.
The dog bit off the child’s left middle finger, severely injured his left index finger, and inflicted deep wounds on his face, cheek and chin before nearby residents rushed to his rescue.
Doctors at SGH said the child received the first dose of the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and immunoglobulin in Junnar before being referred to Pune for specialised treatment. He has been admitted to the paediatric department at SGH and is receiving intravenous antibiotics, fluids and other supportive treatment. On Thursday morning, he underwent reconstructive plastic surgery.
Dr Yallapa Jadhav, medical superintendent at SGH, said, “The child sustained serious bite injuries to the face and left hand. He is admitted in the PICU and is receiving multidisciplinary treatment. A procedure by the plastic surgery team has been conducted and the treatment is ongoing. The remaining anti-rabies vaccination schedule will be completed as per protocol,” he said.
The attack sparked outrage among local residents, who alleged that repeated complaints about stray dogs failed to prompt sustained action from the Junnar Municipal Council.
In response, Junnar Municipal Council officials said that they recently sterilised 324 stray dogs under its animal birth control programme. A fresh tender process is underway, and the drive to capture and sterilise stray dogs will resume soon, they added.
