An Inkster mother says animal-control officials shrugged off her repeated complaints before a neighbor’s dog chased and jumped on her 6-year-old son in their yard this weekend, leaving the boy with a small bite and scratches. Heather Beyer said the incident unfolded on Woodlawn Drive after she sent her son next door to warn the neighbors that their dog had slipped out again. She told reporters she has been keeping receipts for months in the form of video, screenshots and a paper trail of calls and emails to animal control. The child’s injuries appeared minor, Beyer said.
Beyer said she worried something like this would happen after the dog “jumped on him” and had “nipped” her son in earlier encounters, according to ClickOnDetroit. She shared a video with the station that shows her son sprinting away from the animal and another clip she says shows the dog roaming the neighborhood. Beyer told the outlet she sent multiple calls, texts and emails to the animal-control division documenting the problem, but did not see any lasting action.
Animal control says dog is quarantined
An Inkster animal-control officer said the dog involved in the weekend incident is now under quarantine, ClickOnDetroit reports, and he told the station he would share more information after inspecting the property. The outlet said reporters tried contacting the officer again and also reached out to the city’s police chief, but had not received a response by publication time. The home where the animals live was the focus of unrelated police activity yesterday, the station added.
What the rules say
Local rules give animal-control officers power to quarantine, impound or otherwise restrict animals considered fierce or vicious, according to the City of Inkster. That page also lists contact information for the animal-control officer and explains licensing and reporting procedures. Federal public-health guidance says a healthy dog that bites a person should be confined and observed for 10 days to rule out rabies, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Neighbors point to a pattern
Neighbors on Woodlawn told reporters they have seen the dogs loose before and warned others to steer clear. Inkster has seen other serious dog attacks in recent years; in March 2025, two pit bulls attacked a 7-year-old girl while she rode her bike, an episode that left the child injured and led to a quarantine and investigation, according to WXYZ. That history has some residents saying they want faster action from local officials.
How to report concerns
Residents worried about loose or aggressive animals can contact Inkster's animal-control officer through the dog pound phone line or via the Police Department, according to the City of Inkster. The site notes that dog licenses are processed at the Police Department and directs people to call (313) 801-8897 for impoundment questions during posted hours. City officials did not immediately return additional requests for comment beyond what reporters have already relayed.
Potential legal consequences
If owners fail to contain aggressive animals, they can face civil liability for injuries and local authorities can pursue enforcement measures under state and municipal law, legal summaries show. Michigan statutes and dangerous-dog ordinances allow animal-control authorities to classify, confine or remove dogs that pose a threat, and owners may be held liable for damages when a dog attacks or attempts to bite a person, according to the Animal Legal & Historical Center. Any criminal charges or civil filings tied to this Inkster incident would be announced by prosecutors or city officials as the investigation continues.
