Child bitten at Eugene Albertsons prompts police plea for tips

A 3-year-old child was bitten by a dog inside the Albertsons store at 1675 W. 18th Ave. at 6:04 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2026, prompting numerous customers to call 911. Officers arrived at the scene but the dog and its owner had already left the store before police contact could be made.

Eugene Police have asked the public to help identify the dog’s owner. The only description released identifies the owner as an unkempt man with long, frizzy brown-gray hair. Eugene Springfield Fire Department personnel evaluated the child at the scene; officials have not released further medical details.

The incident underscores public-safety risks in high-traffic retail spaces along Eugene’s West 18th corridor, a regular shopping destination for families in Lane County. When a dog bite occurs inside a grocery store, shoppers and employees can be left uncertain about liability, immediate medical needs and whether the animal poses a continuing threat to others. For families, the immediate concern is medical follow-up and possible infection control; for businesses, the event can disrupt operations and raise questions about signage, enforcement of pet policies and staff training to respond to animal-related emergencies.

Dog-bite incidents typically trigger follow-up steps from public-health and animal-control authorities, including inquiries into vaccination history and, in some cases, temporary quarantine of the animal. They can also lead to police investigations and, depending on findings, citations or other legal actions under local ordinances that govern animal control and owner responsibility.

Eugene Police are asking anyone with information about the owner, the dog or the incident to call the department’s non-emergency police line with tips. Witnesses who were in the store around 6 p.m. on Jan. 5 who may have dash-cam, door-cam or phone video are particularly useful to investigators.

The immediate community impact is practical: parents should check that children are supervised near unfamiliar animals in public spaces, and shoppers may notice increased attention to pet policies at grocery stores. For store managers, the event is a reminder to review emergency response plans for medical and animal-related incidents.

The takeaway? If you saw something, call the non-emergency line and share what you know; if a child is bitten, seek medical care promptly. Our two cents? A quick tip could spare another family the same scare and help keep grocery runs safe for everyone.