Three-year-old boy mauled 'after being allowed to climb XL bully' in Doncaster

A three-year-old boy was mauled by his family's XL bully after being allowed to try to climb onto the dog's back, police have said.

The boy needed surgery after being bitten on the face by the legally registered dog in Doncaster.

South Yorkshire Police said the incident, on Monday 18 March, happened "after parents and guardians allowed the child to attempt to climb the dog".

Paramedics found him "seriously bleeding".

He was taken to hospital, for surgery to his wounds.

It became a criminal offence in February to own an unregistered XL bully.

Ch Insp 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.”

The dog was seized by police and remains in kennels while investigations continue.

Ch Inspector Cheney 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."

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