Surfer Bethany Hamilton is sharing her son’s frightening encounter with a dog.
“A couple of weeks ago, my son got bit by a dog. Not provoked. And super random,” Hamilton, 35, wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, August 4. “The dog was on a leash even. I’m feeling very disappointed in dogs and dog owners. I feel like the amount of unruly dogs nowadays is higher than ever.”
While sharing photos of her 6-year-old son Wesley’s injuries on his arm, Hamilton — who also shares Tobias, 9, Micah, 3, and Alayah, 2 with husband Adam Dirks — encouraged pet owners to examine how often their dogs should be out in public.
“If you have mean dogs, PLEASE leave them home,” she said. “Also, if your dog is getting really old and grumpy, leave them home. I wish it was me instead but glad it wasn’t worse. Also glad it wasn’t my toddler…”
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Hamilton said she reported the dog “for the future safety of the local community.”
She also gave what she claims to be a play-by-play of how the incident went down in what she said was an attempt to remind others to stay alert.
Bethany Hamilton Courtesy of Bethany Hamilton / Instagram
“[Wesley and I] we were on a little date. We got a kombucha and then we were going into this shop to go look at the clothing,” she claimed. “Then we came out, and we were in chill mode, super slow. Wesley wasn’t feeling amazing and this dog was laying underneath a table. He was leashed and then he just lunged up and bit Wesley as we were walking by.”
Since sharing her story online, Hamilton said many of her Instagram followers are quick to blame the dog owner.
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According to the “All Things Possible” podcast host — who lost her arm in a 2003 shark attack — dog owners certainly owe some responsibility when similar incidents occur.
As a dog lover herself, Hamilton offered some tips on what pet owners can do to keep everyone safe.
“If you do have a dog in public, for sure having it on a leash, maybe even putting a muzzle on it if you really want it in public,” she suggested. “I think the normalization of so many dogs in public and everywhere being dog friendly is dangerous and the big thing that I got in the messages too was the amount of people who have nice dogs who have their dogs getting attacked by dogs that are not nice. It’s a big issue.”
