An 11-year-old football player from Atkinson County, Georgia, is recovering after three dogs attacked him near Wood Duck Road in Axson on Sept. 13. Banner O’Berry was riding a four-wheeler with his best friend, Karson Clayton, when the vehicle broke down and the dogs charged across an open field. One dog pulled Banner off by his ankle, and the other two joined in. He suffered 17 open wounds to his legs and needed 3.5 hours of surgery.
Karson is being credited with saving his friend’s life. He handed Banner pliers to defend himself, threw objects at the dogs, screamed for help and called his parents, who arrived from less than a mile away. What happened next is drawing the most attention: the dogs’ owner reportedly grabbed the animals and left without calling 911 or helping the boys. All three dogs are now in custody for a 10-day hold while authorities seek to have them declared vicious.
Stories like this hit close to home here on the Suncoast, where we share our neighborhoods, parks and beaches with pets of every size. Banner’s mother says her son asked her from the ambulance to call his coach and let him know he couldn’t finish the football season. Our community knows what youth sports means to a kid, and we know what it means when a season is cut short.
What would you want your own kids to know about staying safe around unknown dogs? Tell us in the comments.
