Hoover police are investigating after a young boy was reportedly attacked by a dog at Loch Ridge Dog Park on Sunday.

The family of the 5-year-old Lucas says the dog was off the leash in a area of the park where a leash is required. The family says the attack was unprovoked and the dog bit the child, grabbed him, took him down and began shaking him. The family says the dog’s owner refused to help, and would not give her name or information about her dog’s health. 

Lucas’s mother Abigail Thomas gave us permission to show this picture of his wounds.

The family took the young boy to the Emergency Room because they had no information on the dog. The victim is now undergoing a series a rabies shots. 

“I don’t want my son to have to go through that. It was awful watching him in that pain. He was just scared. He was really scared.” said Thomas.

Thomas says Lucas is now afraid of dogs outside the family.

Police are looking for the woman seen in the gray shirt with the brown dog. The family says the brown dog attacked the 5-year-old boy.

Hoover PD says the owner of the dog who attacked the boy could face charges in municipal court for violating the municipal vicious animal ordinance. The ordinance states it shall be unlawful for the owner or other person in charge thereof to harbor or keep in the city or the police jurisdiction thereof a vicious animal, unless the same is confined, muzzled and bound in such a manner as to prevent such animal from biting or attacking a person or other animal. It shall be prima facie evidence that an animal is a vicious animal if it shall bite or fiercely attack any person or any other animal, such person or other animal at the time of said biting or attack not being on the owner’s premises.

If you were at the dog park Sunday and witnessed the attack, you’re asked to call Hoover Animal Control at (205) 444-7760.