3-year-old boy mauled by XL Bully in Doncaster
Police say the dog was registered
Last updated 22nd Mar 2024
A 3 year old boy has been seriously injured by an XL Bully dog in Doncaster.
Police say the little boy tried to climb on the dog when it attacked him - the family had registered the dog in line with recent guidance from the government.
A Police Statement said:
"A registered XL Bully bit a three-year-old boy on his face, leaving him requiring surgery earlier this week after the child attempted to climb the dog.
"At 1:15pm on Monday 18 March we received a call from Yorkshire Ambulance Service informing us they were responding to the boy who was seriously bleeding.
"Officers attended alongside the ambulance service and the boy was taken to hospital, where he required surgery for his wounds."
Chief Inspector Emma Cheney, leading the work on dangerous dogs in South Yorkshire 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.”
The dog was seized by police and remains in kennels while our investigation continues.
Ch Inspector Cheney continues:
“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.”