A 5-year-old girl was airlifted to a Portland hospital after being bitten in the face by a dog Wednesday morning on Katie Lane in Topsham. 

Police say the child was flown to Maine Medical Center by helicopter with severe lacerations to her face. 

The police department’s animal control officer and Topsham Fire and Rescue were called to the home on Katie Lane just after 11:30 a.m. 

According to a news release, the girl was bitten by a German Shepherd mix breed. The dog’s owners were babysitting the girl at the time. 

Topsham police say the girl is from Brunswick and her family are friends with the dog’s owners. 

“The incident reportedly occurred while the child had been petting the dog,” police said. “The dog did not display any indication of agitation or aggressive behavior toward the child or other children present inside the home.” 

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The owners have cooperated fully with the investigation and police say the dog had no history of aggressive behavior. 

The dog was taken to its veterinarian at Androscoggin Animal Hospital in Topsham. Topsham Police Chief Chris Lewis said the dog was up to date on its vaccinations. However, the dog’s owners decided to euthanize the animal immediately, according to police, and will pay to have the animal’s brain tested for rabies by the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Police say there are no criminal charges pending. 

Police investigated a similar case in Topsham a year ago when an 18-month-old Wiscasset girl suffered serious eye injuries after it was bitten in the face by a babysitter’s dog. The child was expected to have significant vision loss as a result of her injuries, according to a family spokesperson. 

dmoore@timesrecord.com 

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