NIZHNY NOVGOROD, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - A district court in central Russia's Penza Region has ordered the owners of a dog that bit off a boy's ear to pay 60,000 rubles ($2,000) in compensation, judicial authorities said on Monday.
In August 2008, the Staffordshire bull terrier in question attacked the eight-year-old boy while he was visiting a classmate. The dog savaged the boy's arm and then ripped off his ear. Doctors were unable to stitch the ear back on.
The boy's parents claimed 150,000 rubles ($5,000) for surgery and another 500,000 rubles ($17,000) in compensation.
"The owners of the dog said they did not know the boy was visiting and were not to blame for the incident," a spokesman said. "However, they expressed their willingness to pay for moral damages and surgery, albeit a lower amount than the parents had sought," he added.
