Link: http://www.kentucky.com/454/story/302103.html

By Shawntaye Hopkins
SHOPKINS@HERALD-LEADER.COM

A paralyzed Lexington man was rushed to the hospital after he woke to find his dog had chewed off parts of his toes, police said.

The man woke about 9 a.m. at his home on the 1400 block of Bryan Avenue to find that his pit bull pup had "chewed off four tips of his toes," Lexington police Lt. Mario Russo said.

The man was identified by a friend as Terry Smith. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital.

Lexington Animal Control took the dog, China, into quarantine.

Smith may be allowed to take China into quarantine at his home, animal control Chief Nathan Bowling said.

"The animal appears to be in great health, and we have no reason to believe there's any kind of abuse," Bowling said.

Tim Cantrell, who said he is temporarily staying at Smith's home, said he saw the blood on his friend's bed Tuesday morning.

"I realized upon closer inspection that his toes were no longer on his feet," Cantrell said.

Cantrell said Smith has been paralyzed from the waist down for several years. A nurse checks on Smith once a day.

During an interview Tuesday, Cantrell sat on Smith's medical bed with blood-stained blankets.

Cantrell said he'd picked up several pieces of Smith's toes that day, but no full digits were recovered. He said China ate Smith's toes down to the joint.

"It's not aggressive at all," Cantrell said of the dog, who is about 5 or 6 months old.

The dog may have been attracted to sores on Smith's feet, Cantrell said.

At the north Lexington home where the incident occurred, a red and black "Beware of the Dog" sign is posted on the front porch.

Smith's bed is in a front room, and a sheet taped to an entrance sections off the rest of the home, which Cantrell says is in bad condition because Smith can't move around easily to clean and make repairs. He also doesn't have a steady income.

A mother and daughter who live next door to Smith, Anna Warmouth and Connie Pedigo, said Tuesday that in the past Smith has left dogs outside in extreme temperatures without food.

Cantrell said his friend struggles to take care of his home, but he loves and cares for his dog.

An open bag of Puppy Chow, about half-full, rested near the bed as well as an empty metal dog bowl.

Cantrell said China sometimes eats four bowls of dog food a day.