Pittsburgh police are investigating a dog attack that left a toddler seriously injured in the city’s Knoxville neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
Zone 3 officers and EMS responded to the 200 block of Moore Avenue just after 1:30 p.m. following reports of a dog bite inside a residence. According to police, the homeowners called 911 after their dog bit a 2-year-old boy.
Witnesses told officers the dog, described as food-aggressive, attacked after the child may have approached its food bowl. As adults rushed to intervene, the dog broke free and fled from the home.
The toddler suffered serious facial injuries and was transported to a hospital, where he was last reported in stable condition, according to a police news release.
Pittsburgh police and Animal Care and Control officers launched a search for the dog, identified as a 2-year-old gray pit bull. As of Sunday evening, the dog had not been located and is believed to still be in the Knoxville area.
Authorities are urging anyone who spots the dog to immediately contact Animal Care and Control’s emergency line at (412) 255-2935 or call 911.