Bettendorf police are making another appeal for the owner of a dog who bit a boy to come forward, so the 13-year old can avoid undergoing a series of rabies shots.
"I would just reach out to the dog owner and think about it if this was your boy," said Capt. Keith Kimball, with the Bettendorf Police Department. "It would really make it easier if he would come forward and verify the dog's rabies vaccination, and with that, we can stop rabies treatment for the boy, so he wouldn't have to endure that."
Police on Thursday released the 9-1-1 call of the incident. It happened Tuesday, March 11 outside Mark Twain Elementary in Bettendorf. The call came in from an off-duty teacher who found the 13-year old boy bleeding from the arm and "shaken, he couldn't talk at first."
There were two German Shepherds with their owner, one bit the boy. The owner took off before police arrived.
"The dog owner came up and got the dog off the boy, checked on him, and told him to stay put and said he'd be back. He never returned," said Capt. Kimball.
Over 30 different tips have come in about possible owners of two German Shepherds in the area, and police are reviewing surveillance video from the school.
Police say unless the dog has a history of biting people, the owner would likely face a ticket for not having the dog on a leash and a fine.
"We can work this out and move forward. I would rather them come to me before I show up at their door with evidence," he said.
Anyone with information can call Capt. Kimball at 563-344-4031.