Wareham Selectmen deemed Scout, a 30-pound male beagle, as a dangerous dog following a hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Scout reportedly broke free of his lead and chased after a young boy on High Street before biting him.

The boy, only identified as Micheal due to his age, was taken to Tobey Hospital by ambulance as a result of the bite where he received treatment for puncture wounds and was put on antibiotics.

Both Micheal and his guardian Valerie Bergeron appeared before the Board of the Selectmen along with Scout’s owner, Darren Abbot, on Tuesday night to testify.

According to Bergeron, Micheal was startled when he saw the dog running off it’s lead and screamed before attempting to run away.

“I’ve never seen Scout act viciously,” she said. “I have three dogs myself, and I think they were both just afraid of each other.”

“I spooked him,” Micheal added. “I don’t want to see the dog taken away.”

Abbot himself apologized for the incident, stating that he was completely baffled by the dog’s behavior.

“That dog is used to kids,” Abbot said. “I can’t explain what happened, but I know that’s no excuse.”

Animal Control Officer Cheryl Gorveatt-Dill advised Selectmen to deem Scout as dangerous despite this testimony following concerns for other neighborhood children.

“There are a lot of kids in the High Street area,” Gorveatt-Dill said. “And I don’t want to risk this happening to anyone else.”

Gorveatt-Dill’s recommendation was passed unanimously by the board.

Scout must now be muzzled at all times when off Abbot’s property and only walked by an adult age 18 or older. Abbot will also be required to keep Scout in a pen as opposed to on a lead.

“With situations like this our hands are tied,” said Selectman Patrick Tropeano. “We just can’t risk someone else getting hurt.”