A three year old boy was left “seriously bleeding” after being attacked by his family’s own XL Bully dog in Doncaster. The emergency services were called to the home shortly after 1pm on Monday.
South Yorkshire Police said the dog turned on the boy when he tried to climb on it. The little boy was taken to hospital where he required surgery after being bitten on the face.
The police seized the dog and confirmed it will stay in kennels as they investigate what happened.
Chief inspector, Emma Cheney, said the attack shows how dangerous this breed of dog can be. She warned parents to keep their children safe.
“This family have acknowledged the change in legislation around the XL Bully and registered their dog, but this doesn’t remove the danger that these dogs pose and why the ban has come into place
“All dogs can be aggressive; they are animals, but some dogs have greater capability to cause harm due to their size and strength. Children should never be unsupervised when with dogs, even family pets that you believe ‘would never hurt’ your children.”
“A dog’s instinct to protect itself is to bite. Parents should ensure children learn to respect a dog’s space and be encouraged to have boundaries around feeding and resting times.”
She added: “An incident like this is a stark reminder that regardless of a dog’s nature, or previous interactions with children, other dogs and people, they are animals and their innate instinct is to protect themselves which can result in serious injuries and sometimes fatality. Take action now and protect your children.”
Since February 1, it’s been against the law to own an XL Bully unless you had registered the animal before. With the new rules, all owners have to keep their dogs on a lead and wear a muzzle when they’re out and about.
