A father in Chateauguay is demanding answers after his 4-year-old son was badly bitten by a Golden Retriever, and may now need surgery.

It happened outside his home 10 days ago, but Corey Sexton says the dog hasn’t been seized, or evaluated by a professional.

UPDATE: The dog should be evaluated on Tuesday July 30

The boy and his older brother were playing basketball on their driveway when their neighbour and his Golden Retriever walked by their house on a morning walk.

Sexton says his son, who loves dogs, approached the owner and asked him if he could pet his dog. The owner said yes.

After petting him for a while “the dog just snapped, and bit him right in the face,” Sexton said.

The bite caused a deep gash in his face, which required 12 stitches.

Sexton says he has to take his son to the hospital daily for checkups and he may require plastic surgery.

“I believe that dog should be put down, especially because of the severity of the situation. It wasn’t just a nip,” he said.

While he has filed the incident with Chateauguay police the dog still hasn’t been evaluated by authorities and remains in its home down the street.

The SPCA Roussillon, the shelter on contract with the City of Chateauguay says whenever a person is bit by a dog, the dog should be evaluated to determine if they’re dangerous.

Because police weren’t called to the scene when the bite occurred, the city may now have to step in.

“The city has the authority to have the dog seized so they can call the police and have the police do a seizure of the dog the police will contact us for us to assist them,” said Pierre Bourbonnais, Executive Director at SPCA Roussillon.

Since the incident the dog wears a muzzle.

The dog’s owner, Janice Stephens, rescued her from Cairo, Egypt a few months ago. This is her third Golden Retriever. Stephens admits the dog isn’t well socialized, but doesn’t think she is dangerous and refuses to put her down. If it comes down to it, she says she will return the dog to the shelter in Ontario where she got her.

As long as the dog is around, Sexton fears it could happen again.

“In four houses from this one there are 15 children, if that dog gets out, if they open the door and that dog takes off, which kid that’s going to chase it is going to get bit?,” Sexton said.

He said will push the city to conduct an evaluation of the dog on Monday.