Dog responsible for baby's death put back in quarantine

None — PITTSBURGH -- Just one day after a Churchill man adopted the dog involved in an infant's death, local authorities took the dog back into custody.

The Allegheny County District Attorney said state law requires that the dog remain in quarantine. The District Attorney said the man has 10 days to appeal the order.

The man, who did not want to be identified, said he and the baby's father made a deal on Tuesday. Howard Nicholson signed the husky over to him, and the man paid the dog catcher fees and veterinary bills for the dog's broken leg.

The man told Channel 11's Renee Kaminski that he understands how some may be shocked that he wanted the animal that mauled a 3-day-old child, but he said he believes the dog did it because of the poor circumstances it was under.

"He's a dog. He was adopted two weeks prior and put into a pack with three other dogs. He broke his leg and had a homemade contraption on him. It wasn't set right. He's at the bottom of the food chain and the mother put a baby on the floor in front of him," said the man.

WPXI