A Guilford family continues to fight to save their dog from being euthanized while the town stands by its decision on what it considers a dangerous dog.

“You can see the cut marks right here and that’s how he came through,” said Dr. David Young who showed News 8 where he says a neighbor came into his yard to retrieve a lacrosse ball and startled his dog Simon and the dog sitter.

“The sitter said all of a sudden there was a person way out here with a lacrosse stick,” said Dr. Young.

That’s when Simon reportedly attacked the teen.

“He nipped at him his ankle and the kid at the time instead of backing off raised his stick instead in a threatening manner,” said Dr. Young, who then agreed that could have been a reflex by the teen. “Sure, of course, of course. And then Simon bit him in the thigh.”

Dr. Young says the teen got ten stitches and his dog got a death sentence.

We asked the Guilford First Selectman Matthew Hoey if the animal control officer feels the dog is dangerous in some way. “Absolutely, that is why the disposal order was determined,” he answered.

Hoey said the ACO also considered another attack on a dog when Simon escaped his yard through the invisible electric fence.

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Right, that’s dog on dog and that’s the one time he got out,” said Dr. Young. “This is a neighbor that would taunt Simon with a stick.”

Since the August 2017, attack Simon has been held at the town animal shelter and some have come to his defense from near and far like at a rally in Guilford on Sunday.

Dr. Young says there have been a couple of other cases in town where a dog which was on its own property bit someone and is now home. He will be telling the Department of Agriculture that information during the hearing which will take place on Wednesday morning in Hartford.

The town will also present evidence backing up its disposal order.

“If the disposal order is overturned, there could be conditions upon which that disposal order is overturned,” said Hoey.

If the order is upheld, Dr. Young can take his appeal to court, which he says he would do.

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