A 4-week-old baby is recovering in a hospital after being bitten by his grandparents' dog last week.
Family members say Isaiah Ayala was staying at his grandparents' home in Blooming Grove when a Husky named Smoky bit him, puncturing his bladder. The baby's grandparents say the dog didn't mean to harm the child.
They say the baby was crying, and Smoky was trying to help him by picking him up with its mouth while the boy's mother stepped away for a moment.
Melissa Veraldo, the town's animal control officer, visited Smoky to check for signs of aggression.
"The dog didn't appear aggressive in any way," she says. "It might be a trigger that set him off. The baby's crying may have set him off."
A judge will determine if Smoky can stay in the house. The dog's owners say they will follow whatever the judge decides, even though they do not believe their dog is dangerous.
The baby had undergone surgery and is listed in fair condition at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center. The grandparents say he will remain at the hospital for about a week.