A dog that attacked a nine-year-old boy northeast of Fergus is now in the care of the Guelph Humane Society, as its owners and police decide whether it will be euthanized.

The boy was attacked Sunday night, while playing outside his home on Wellington Road 16 near Belwood Lake.

“A neighbour’s dog broke free, entered onto the property and attacked the nine-year-old boy,” said Const. Cheri Rockefeller of Wellington County OPP.

His parents say he received bite marks “all over his face,” as well as on the back of his head, his stomach and one of his legs.

“We have to feed him his medicine through a syringe,” his father said in an interview.

"This shouldn't have happened," added his mother.

The boy received 28 stitches to his face alone, his parents say, while the full extent of his injuries won’t be clear until his swelling dies down.

The dog, believed to be an American bulldog, is now in quarantine. It was surrendered to the Humane Society on Monday, and its fate will be determined after 10 days.

Officials at the Humane Society say any decision about the dog’s future will be based on the health of the animal as well as public safety and the outcome of the police investigation into the incident.

With reporting by Nadia Matos