Nevada city told not to euthanize dog

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HENDERSON, Nev., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A dog that killed a 1-year-old child got a reprieve from being put to death until ownership of the animal is established, the Nevada Supreme Court said.

The dog, a 6-year-old, 120-pound Mastiff/Rhodesian Ridgeback named Onion, attacked and killed Jeremiah Eskew-Skahan while the boy celebrated his first birthday with a party at his grandmother's house in April. Henderson, Nev., police said after the child crawled to the dog and pulled its fur, the dog grabbed the boy's face and shook him, killing him, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

The city's dog ordinance called for the dog to be put to death, and Elizabeth Keller, the grandmother and owner of the dog, signed papers to turn Onion over to an animal control officer, a city spokesman said.

The Lexus Project, a Colorado-based animal sanctuary, stepped forward to offer to claim the dog and care for it.

The Court ruled Friday that the city of Henderson is prohibited "from taking any action against the dog until further order of this court."

Onion remains in two connected cages at the Henderson Animal Control and Care Facility, and the Lexus Project is expected to claim in court the grandmother prefers to turn the dog over to the sanctuary rather than the city, the Sun reported.