A seven-year-old boy has died after being mauled by a rescue dog his family had adopted just three weeks earlier. James McNeelis was attacked in his backyard in Kiefer, Oklahoma, on 20 October.
The dog, described as a sheltie-corgi mix, had been found abandoned by the side of a road before being taken in by the family. According to local reports, the boy went outside to play and was later discovered by his parents.
In a statement on a GoFundMe page, the boy’s mother, Hannah Markley, wrote: “On October 20th, 2021, Michael and Hannah found their little boy mauled in their back yard.” Neighbour Shannon Edison recalled hearing a scream and seeing emergency vehicles searching the area.
The incident has raised concerns about the adoption of rescue animals with unknown histories. The dog was reportedly euthanised following the attack.
