BOSTON -- A young dog died Tuesday after receiving an electrical shock from a sidewalk in Boston.

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David Boeri Reports On Dog

NewsCenter 5's David Boeri reported that a 13-year-old boy was walking his puppy on Western Avenue in Allston, when it is believed the dog, a boxer, was hit with the electric jolt. The dog was rushed to Angell Memorial Hospital, but it died.

"What people heard inside was a dog barking and a boy screaming. Apparently, the dog had some sort of seizure and bit the boy, and it died," one witness said.

Officials at Inspectional Services said that NStar removed a telephone pole in the area but never shut off the electricity.

"It apparently was in convulsions and bit its owner. From what we gather from reports, is that the dog started going into convulsions and the young man tried to comfort it or to help him, and he was nipped," Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spokesman Scott Giacoppo said.

The dog was 16 months old and weighed about 70 pounds.

According to the boy's father, his son had no warning before the dog fell down yelping.

"They were walking around, basically in bare feet. Their pads are exposed, and when they hit these spots they are more (likely) to feel the effects then we would because of our shoes. If we were walking around barefoot, we would feel the same thing," Giacoppo said.

NStar accepted full responsibility for the incident Tuesday evening.

"First I want to say that our hearts go out to the family and to the boy. I am a pet owner and nobody wants this to happen. We are doing everything now that we can to investigate our records on this particular area to find out how these wires stayed electrified for as long as they did," said NStar spokesman Mike Durant.

If you have concerns about hot spots in your neighborhood, you can contact NStar at: (800) 592-2000 or through its Web site.