A toddler had to get surgery on his face after being “mauled” by his family's XL bully.
Officers from South Yorkshire Police were called to the property in Doncaster following the incident.
The three-year-old was reportedly allowed to climb on the dog on Monday.
However, he was taken to hospital, where he required surgery after he was ruthlessly bitten on the face while trying to climb on top of the dog.
Officers were called to the scene in Doncaster (file pic)
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At 1:15pm on Monday, March 18, officers received a call from Yorkshire Ambulance Service informing there was a boy who was seriously bleeding at an undisclosed address in Doncaster.
Chief inspector of South Yorkshire Police Emma Cheney said: “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.”
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Protests were held to protect the breed
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It became a criminal offence to own an XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate on February 1.
Now, CI Cheney has said people need to put children's safety first, especially around larger breeds of dog.
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.”
Paramedics from Yorkshire Ambulance Service confirmed they took the boy to the hospital where he required surgery.
XL Bully dogs must be microchipped and neutered, and must remain on a lead with a muzzle in all public spaces.
The legislation follows a spate of high-profile XL Bully attacks including two dogs that attacked and killed 68-year-old Esther Martin in Jaywick, Essex.
In 2021, 10-year-old boy Jack Lis was killed by an American bully XL dog.
