Four-year-old girl seriously injured in 'horrendous' dog attack in Carmarthen

Warning: This report contains an image which some readers may find upsetting

A girl has been treated for serious injuries in hospital after being attacked by a dog.

Four-year-old Rayven Hamilton was playing outside her home in Carmarthen on Monday, February 19, when she was "pounced on" by the animal.

Tests are being carried out on the animal to confirm its breed.

Rayven's mother Charis Sebastian witnessed the attack and said she tried to intervene by putting herself in between her young daughter and the dog but not before it had caused several puncture wounds and a large gash to the girl.

She said the incident was witnessed by around 10 people, including other children.

"It's horrendous," she said. "We live in a cul-de-sac and she was out playing in the street as she does every single day

"Rayven is autistic and non-verbal so she likes being outside, so we took her outside to play as we do two or three times a day.

"The dog was out as it is, all day every day, and it literally pounced on her. We were around five or six feet away when it happened and there was no warning, it just went for her.

"I grabbed her face and put my body over her and some young lad in the street, an 18-year-old, opened the dog's mouth and got it off my child.

"A lot of people viewed it, a lot of children saw it. The dog got off her and then went for her again, it only wanted her. It was horrific.

"People are saying now the dog was nasty and things but we don't know that for a fact. It just pounced on her. Standing, that dog is bigger than her."

Charis said that Rayven has had an operation on the deep wound to the top of her arm and doctors are now assessing when the family can go home.

"We don't know what we are going to do now as because of her special needs she won't take antibiotics. If she takes them hopefully we can go."

Charis said she has been told the dog was either a pocket bully dog or a mixed breed XL and pocket.

Police have confirmed the dog has been seized and enquiries are ongoing into the breed of the dog.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police was called to Cae Grug, Carmarthen, at around 6.15pm on Monday, February 19th, following a child being bitten by a dog.

"The child was taken to hospital with serious injuries which are not deemed life-threatening or life-changing.

"One dog was seized and is being held at a secure kennels and the owner is supporting police with the investigation. Enquiries are ongoing to identify the breed of the dog.”