Ban PitBulls

Prairie Village Police say an infant is in critical condition after being bitten by a dog.

The incident took place Thursday in the 4900 block of W. 72nd Terr., according to a news release from Prairie Village Police Sgt. Josh Putthoff.

Putthoff said the infant was in the care of a “non-parent caregiver” at the time.

Police were first notified of the infant’s condition at around 9:30 p.m Thursday by officials at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Putthoff said investigators determined the bite occurred earlier in the evening on 72nd Terrace.

Police identified the dog as a pit bull.

“The dog, a pit bull, was seized and impounded last night and, at the owner’s request, was euthanized earlier [Friday],” Putthoff said in his statement. “Currently, there is no threat to the public and all parties are cooperating with the investigation.”

It’s unclear who the owner of the dog is or their relation to the injured child.

“The infant remains hospitalized and in critical condition. At this time, we are requesting that the privacy of the family be respected,” Putthoff said.

Police continue to investigate the incident.

Five years ago, Prairie Village repealed its ban on pit bulls, one of a number of Johnson County cities that have rolled back such rules in recent years.

At the time, residents in support of lifting the ban said such prohibitions unfairly stigmatized certain breeds of dogs and their owners. They also argued that there is no conclusive evidence that pit bulls pose a more significant safety risk to humans than other breeds.

Leawood remains the only city in Johnson County with a pit bull ban on the books, though that city tweaked its ordinance two years ago, clarifying what breeds count as a “pit bull” and also removing words like “vicious” from the ordinance language.