PAIA — An outing at a Paia beach led to a trip to the hospital emergency room for a Haiku family when a 7-year-old boy was attacked by a loose dog Monday.

"He didn't even see the dog coming," the boy's father, Eric Bryant, told The Maui News. "All of a sudden the dog ran down to my child. And then the dog began to attack."

On Tuesday, Bryant was keeping a close eye on 7-year-old Sam, who was treated with a tetanus shot, antibiotics and stitches to his right hand. The dog ripped a portion of skin off the 55-pound child's hand and also bit both hip areas before releasing his grip as the boy and others screamed, Bryant said.

He was hoping someone would provide information to locate the dog, which he described as brown and gray, with a large head, medium to short hair and weighing 70 to 80 pounds.

The dog was with a woman he described as Caucasian and in her 20s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and slim, with light brown hair. She also had another unleashed dog, which was smaller, black and brown and appeared to be a German shepherd, Bryant said.

"Hopefully somebody will recognize the importance of getting this dog off our beaches," Bryant said. "Next time it could be worse for another child."

Bryant said the woman and dogs left the beach, taking a different route after refusing to go with him and his son to meet police and firefighters responding to the noon attack at Baby Beach.

Aimee Anderson, director of animal control for the Maui Humane Society, said anyone with information about the woman or the dogs can call the agency at 877-3680, ext. 29 or ext. 33.

"Our officers are going to be keeping an eye out for anyone that fits that description with those dogs," Anderson said. "Obviously, this is a great concern that you have a dog that's capable of hurting a human being loose on a beach. The dog is clearly a threat to people."

She said dogs running loose on beaches constitute a "chronic" problem throughout Maui, despite a "zero-tolerance" approach to leash-law violations on beaches since 1997.

Owners who allow dogs to run loose on beaches won't be given warnings but will be cited for violations, Anderson said. A leash-law violation carries a fine of up to $500.

"This is a classic example of how it can cause serious repercussions by allowing your dog to be loose," Anderson said.

Before the attack, Bryant said he was holding his nearly 3-year-old son while his 7-year-old son, Sam, and his 10-year-old brother, Jacob, were digging holes in the sand near the breakwater at Baby Beach.

The dog suddenly appeared from the dune area, Bryant said, running to Sam and biting him first in one hip. When the child lifted his hand to try to protect his face, the dog tore skin off the hand before letting go and biting the child's other hip, Bryant said.

The dog then moved away from Sam, who had puncture wounds on one hip and bite marks on the other.

"It happened so fast. It was pretty traumatic for all of us," Bryant said. "Thank God my 3-year-old wasn't there with them because he was tired and sitting in my lap. If the dog had attacked my 3-year-old, it could have killed him.

"This is Baby Beach. There's kids all over the place."

Bryant drove his son to the Maui Memorial Medical Center emergency room, where Dr. Jenwei Luu tended to the injured boy.

The doctor said the child was fortunate that the dog didn't rip the muscles and tendons in his hand, Bryant said. But he was concerned about the possibility of infection, as well as the psychological effect of the ordeal.

While firefighters had bandaged the boy's hand to stop the bleeding within about five minutes, "Sammy screamed for two, three hours," Bryant said. "He was very traumatized."

Bryant, who considers himself a "dog person," said he was also affected.

"Watching your kid being attacked by a dog and feeling completely helpless changes the way you feel about animals on the beach," he said. "My kids are significantly more important to me than any dog."

For more Maui news, visit The Maui News.