Last month Padi, Dr.Gartenberg's dog bit a four year old boy. He is the same dog that Dr G had rehabilitated more than a year earlier after a chain had been left for months around his neck causin"g deep wounds that required months of rehabilitation. Manatee County Animal Service in Florida took the dog and has had him since. The boys' babysitter was "watching" the boy when he followed the dog into Dr.Gartenberg's office. He threw a bunch of toys at Padi the dog. Padi hid under the desk and when the boy ran out of toys to throw he lunged at the dog under the desk. That's when Padi bit the boys ear. The boy had to go to the hospital and had to get several stitches. This was self defense if any other dog was in this position the same thing would have happened. The boy cornered the dog off and he had no choice but to fight back. That is any animals natural instinct. Dr. Gartenberg said he feels terrible about what happened to the child. He said he thinks the boy was provoking the dog. He goes to visit Padi everyday in Animal Control. The babysitter should have been watching the boy and should have not let him go back into Dr.Gartenberg's office. There is no justification for a 4 year old boy to be allowed to enter a doctor's office, let alone without supervision especially when he is entering the dog's safe haven. A lot of people have come into his office over the past two years where Padi greets them and their 4 legged friends and not a single person has been hurt. I've seen the dog myself and he is a kind and very sweet lab with lots of energy. The boy had to provoke Padi for him to bite the boy's ear. Dr. Gartenberg is a well respected and very well liked veterinarian who has served Manatee county for many years and he would have never allowed the public to have interaction with his dog if he thought there was any possibility that he would harm someone. On July 31st it will be decided if Padi is a dangerous dog,which if he is he'll have to be euthanized. However one of the state statutes declares that an animal is not declared dangerous if the damage sustained by a person occurred while tormenting or assaulting the animal. County officials appear to be looking past this statute which very much applies in this case. Please sign this petition for Manatee Animal Services to release Padi back to his responsible owner. If you would like more information on Padi please visit the links below. http://www.bradenton.com/2015/07/29/5915501/about-20-people-plead-for-manatee.html​ http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2015/7/21/dog_that_bit_boy_s_e.html​ http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/can-padi-be-saved-legal-battle-over-dog-continues/article_0f5a444e-30bf-11e5-bc7a-d3e039ba419d.html