A dog owned by a Highland Township family who saw two of their other dogs attack their 7-year-old daughter has been returned to its old owners.

The young girl suffered serious injuries to her neck and trachea and was hospitalized following an attack by two suspected wolf-bred dogs in late November. Wolf hybrids are not allowed to be kept as pets in Michigan. Following the event, the family, which rescued the dogs from an out-of-state animal welfare organization, surrendered 4 dogs. According to the Milford Times, Oakland County Animal Control euthanized one of the dogs from the attack, and noted that the father had shot the other. Testing is being done on a third suspected of being a wolf-breed. One dog, Riley, was not involved in the attack and is not suspected of being a wolf hybrid.

Animal Control supervisor Ron Shankin said that Riley’s original owners have retrieved the dog from the Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center, taking it back to their home in Ohio. The Highland Township family retained two dogs after the attack, which is the maximum number allowed by local ordinance. (MK)