A routine Tuesday morning on San Antonio’s far East Side turned into a trip to the hospital after a family dog bit a child in the head, deputies said.
The incident happened around 7:45 a.m. at a home in the 12700 block of Gral Bustamante in the Avenida subdivision, near Interstate 10 and Loop 1604. Medics took the child to a hospital with injuries described as not life threatening, according to deputies.
Deputies responded to the scene and Bexar County Animal Control is handling the case, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The outlet reported that officials had not immediately released the child’s age and that the animal-control office had not responded to requests for additional details. As of Tuesday afternoon, deputies had reported no arrests or citations.
Investigation and public-health steps
Bexar County Animal Control typically decides whether a dog involved in a bite must be quarantined, vaccinated or humanely euthanized and coordinates any rabies testing, according to the Bexar County Animal Facility.
The Texas Department of State Health Services states that domestic dogs that bite a person must be quarantined or euthanized and then observed for signs of rabies, with local officials serving as the Local Rabies Control Authority in these situations.
Local context
San Antonio and Bexar County have faced a string of serious dog attacks in recent years, including several that injured children and one that turned deadly. Those incidents have pushed local leaders to call for tougher enforcement and steeper fines for irresponsible owners.
A KSAT tally last December counted at least seven notable dog-attack cases in 2024 and reported that the pattern helped spur the City Council to increase penalties for owners who fail to control dangerous animals; local animal-care agencies have since leaned on a mix of training and enforcement to address the problem (KSAT).
What to do if a child is bitten
Health officials advise that anyone who is bitten should immediately wash the wound, seek prompt medical care and report the incident to local animal control so the animal can be located and evaluated for rabies risk.
The Texas Department of State Health Services and county resources note that reporting a bite creates an official record and allows authorities to determine quarantine or testing needs and whether post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended. Residents in unincorporated Bexar County can contact the county animal facility for guidance.
Authorities had not released additional information by Tuesday evening. This story will be updated if officials provide further details.
