An 86-year-old man is recovering in the hospital after three off-leash dogs attacked him Thursday morning on the NewBridge on the Charles campus in Dedham, turning a routine walk into a trip to the emergency room. Officials say he suffered multiple bite wounds, and police and animal-control officers are now trying to track down whoever was handling the dogs.
According to The Boston Globe, the attack happened around 9 a.m. on a walking path inside the senior-living campus and involved a boxer and two white, medium-sized dogs that were not leashed. The man was taken to an emergency room and may need a series of rabies shots, Atlanta News First reported.
Authorities Searching For Owners
Dedham police and the town’s animal-control office say they are combing through surveillance video from the area and are trying to identify three people who left the scene with the dogs after the attack. Officials are urging anyone who regularly walks that path near the campus, or who may have doorbell, dashcam or cellphone video from around that time, to contact Dedham Animal Control for guidance on how to share tips and footage.
What The Law Says
Under Massachusetts law, the owner or keeper of a dog can be held strictly liable for damage the animal causes. That standard is set out in M.G.L. c. 140 § 155. Victims are generally advised to get medical care right away, and local authorities typically order a 10-day quarantine for any dog involved in a bite so vaccination records and rabies risk can be evaluated under state guidance.
Regional Context
The Dedham case is one of several off-leash incidents reported across the region this spring. An April episode in Milton that drew local headlines also involved an unleashed dog and led to an investigation, highlighting ongoing frustration among some residents over leash enforcement. Local outlets and town officials say these run-ins have sharpened calls to keep heavily used walking paths safer for seniors and other regulars.
Anyone with information about the Dedham attack is asked to contact Dedham Animal Control or the Dedham Police Department. The town’s public-safety pages list phone numbers and step-by-step reporting instructions, and officials say surveillance footage is being reviewed as the investigation continues.
