Tuesday’s animal attack on Ammons Street was not the first time the dog had attacked a child.

Andalusia’s animal control officer Dennis Knight said police and animal control were dispatched to the home approximately 11 days ago when the dog, a mixed cur, attacked a boy, the brother of Tuesday’s victim.

“I will say, that first time, the dog was kicked,” Knight said. “It was provoked. It was chained up. That is why is was not removed from the property and placed in quarantine.“

Knight said following Tuesday’s attack, the dog’s owner requested that the city take the animal.

“The whole situation – it’s a terrible, terrible thing,” he said.

Since April 1, there have been 14 reported animal bites, said Covington County 911 director Kristy Stamnes.

Those reports include bites from spiders, snakes and dogs, she said.

“There’s really no way to separate the calls (by animal type),” she said. “But, at this time of the year, people are outside more, so there’s an increased chance of getting bitten.”

Stames said residents should be vigilant when utilizing the outdoors.

“That number is going to continue to rise, from here to the end of summer,” she said.