Dog bites off hand of four-year-old US boy

A four-year-old boy in the US state of Utah has had his hand bitten off by a husky after he stuck his hand through the fence to play with the dog.

Authorities in the US say a dog bit off the hand of a four-year-old boy after he stuck his arm through a fence to try to play with the animal.

Fire department officials in the city of Layton, Utah, say the child was airlifted on Sunday to a Salt Lake City hospital and was in serious but stable condition.

Battalion Chief Jason Cook says the boy had a sock on his arm when he put it through a gap between the ground and a solid vinyl fence in his backyard towards two huskies living next door.

His family tried to limit the bleeding until emergency workers arrived.

Authorities couldn't find his hand and are almost certain the dog ingested it.

Animal control officers took custody of the dogs.