Which dogs bite?

"I thought the dog was too big for the boys"; said victim's mother

Victim

Ryan Busa, ten year old male

Attack details

15th October 2017

The father of a 10-year-old Co Antrim boy who was mauled to death by the family dog has recalled the distressing moment he found his son lying unconscious and covered in blood. Ryan Busa, a pupil at Ashgrove Primary School in Glengormley, died at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children on October 15, 2017. He died as a result of "multiple severe injuries" after he was attacked by a German Shepherd dog, named Max.

Mr Busa - who appeared in the witness box with an interpreter - revealed he had returned home from working a night shift at Tesco around 6am on the morning of his son's death. "The two boys were home," he told the coroner's counsel, Mr Ronan Daly. "I drove home... came into the kitchen and let the dog outside." Explaining this was a normal routine occurrence to allow the dog out to go to the toilet, he added that he and his sons then enjoyed breakfast together. At that stage, Max had returned indoors. Mr Busa said he then fell asleep upstairs around 8am.

Dog details

3.5 years old male German Shepherd.

Owned by victim's father for three years. Father said the pet had been a "part of our family"

Previous behaviour

When asked at the inquest about a previous statement he had made to police that Max could be "unfriendly, if you didn't know him" he insisted there were no unusual signs from the animal. "Was Max seen to have had a good relationship with the children?" Mr Busa replied: "Yes... He was part of the family."

Mr Busa, whose relationship with the mother of his sons ended in 2011, explained he woke up at roughly around noon. He then walked downstairs where he discovered Ryan unresponsive and lying covered in blood in the kitchen. An emotional Mr Busa, who is originally from Slovakia, recalled the harrowing moment he performed CPR on his son as he waited for the emergency services to arrive. "I tried to do my best. I tried to save his life... I did as much as I could," he told the inquest. The coroner heard that as Ryan was rushed to hospital, "no signs of life" were detected by paramedics.

Dr James Lyness, state pathologist for Northern Ireland, outlined the extent of Ryan's horrific injuries in a post-mortem examination report. It stated that the child had sustained "multiple lacerations... bruises and abrasions" which were consistent with "major animal bites and animal claws". These were found on the upper half of Ryan's body, including the youngster's neck. The state pathologist concluded that death would have occurred at a "fairly rapid" rate, noting the cause to be "neck injuries due to dog bites". Ryan's mother Renata Bilaninova was not present at yesterday's hearing but a statement submitted to the inquest on her behalf revealed that she had misgivings about her ex-partner getting the pet. "I thought the dog was too big for the boys," she insisted. She added that she was aware that Ryan, who she said wanted to be a police officer when he grew up, would have played with Max.

The inquest also heard from a veterinary surgeon who examined Max following the attack.

Criminal proceedings

Mr Busa had been arrested and questioned on suspicion of murder as part of a PSNI investigation into the child's death, but was later told by the Public Prosecution Service that he would not face any charges.

Mr Busa's solicitor Seamus McIlroy asked his client how he felt at being arrested following Ryan's death - at which the father became visibly upset. "It was like I was being treated like a criminal," he said.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"For no apparent reason the two pet dogs turned on the two girls"

Victim

Kellie Lynch, eleven year old, female.

Attack details

14th April 1989

A young girl died after being savaged by two Rottweilers. Eleven-year-old Kellie Lynch, was attacked as she and a friend walked the dogs beside a river. For no apparent reason the two pet dogs turned on the two girls, tearing Kellie apart. Lorraine ran for assistance, and a local woman came to the girl's aid but it was too late. The woman who had bravely tried to calm down the dogs suffered cuts to her hands.

A family friend said,"It is too awful to understand how these two pet dogs who had never shown any signs of temper should turn on the two girls. ''They had been out for a walk, had gone to buy sweeties and then gone over by the river. It seems that they were attacked near an old gravel pit which is about a mile from the hotel."

Kellie, was described as a ''cute, popular'' girl. A shopkeeper near the family home in Dundee said: ''She used to come in here every day at 4pm after school. Everybody liked her, and we are all desperately shocked.'' She and Lorraine were due to return to Dundee this weekend to start school on Monday. Kellie's father was last night traveling to Dunoon, while her mother, Veronica, was under sedation at the family home.

Veronica was warned not to touch her daughter at the funeral home in case her body fell apart. She said later, “Their combined weight was something like 19 stone and Kellie weighed four-and-a-half stone. She didn’t stand a chance." "The injuries she suffered were so severe that we were not allowed to touch her. We realised later that she had been decapitated.”

Dog details

Two Rottweilers, age and sex unknown

Previous behaviour

The family friend added, "No one can understand it. I have never seen the dogs showing any signs of temper. My children were playing with them this morning."

Rottweilers are large, strongly built dogs, which are popular guard dogs, and in some countries have been used as police dogs. The RSPCA last night warned parents of the dangers of owning powerful dogs like Rottweilers. ''Rottweilers are big and powerful dogs and can be very dangerous in the hands of inexperienced people. Parents should be aware of how strong these animals can be,'' said RSPCA spokesman Mr Gavin Grant.

The two dogs were later put down by vet Mr Tony Black. He said: ''Most Rottweilers that I know I have never had any trouble with. ''But every vet in the country knows that with Rottweilers, Dobermans and Alsatians, and guard dogs in general, you always have to be a bit careful because you know what they can do. ''Most such dogs don't give you any hassle, but you are always that bit wary.

Criminal proceedings

None

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Comment: Two young girls expected to control two powerful dogs that two adults wouldn't be able to control if they attacked.

"The little girl did not stand a chance"

Victim

Zumer Ahmed, eighteen month old female.

Attack details

17th April 2010

Zumer Ahmed, 18 months, sustained horrific injuries after being set upon by an American Bulldog, called Game, at her home in Crawley, West Sussex, on April 17. She was in the kitchen when the pet - six times her weight - entered the house from the back garden and started attacking her. The dog was never allowed in the house and always entered or left the garden via a rear gate at the property. On the day of the her death, Zumer's uncle, Urfan Ahmed, locked the back door before leaving the house via the front door, with Game in the back garden. Zumer was indoors when other relatives sitting in the lounge heard the kitchen door open. The adults ran to the kitchen where they saw Game attacking Zumer. The little girl's grandmother, Naseem Ahmed, tried in vain to pull the dog off her by the collar but it was too strong for her. Then two workmen at the next door property heard the commotion and dashed round to find the dog with Zumer's head in his mouth. The pair managed to free the little girl out of the kitchen, before closing the door behind them to prevent the dog from following them outside. However, Zumer had suffered terrible injuries to her head and neck. Still breathing, she was rushed to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Surrey, where doctors tried to save her life but she died in accident and emergency.

The coroner said that very little mention is made of the potential threat such dogs pose to young children. She accepted she may face criticism from dog lovers and organisations for raising doubts over whether they should be kept in a young family environment. But she said the case highlighted a "real risk" to young children and that the death had left those close to Zumer "completely and utterly devastated". "The little girl did not stand a chance,". "The dog was six times her weight and was acting instinctively. The dog, an American Bulldog, does not come under the Dangerous Dogs Act. "And even today the American and English Bulldog are listed on the internet as suitable for family pets. "Very little is mentioned, if anything, to the potential threat to children. "But this case shows that there is a real risk to young children and that this case is not uncommon. "Many dog lovers and organisations will be critical of me to question whether it is safe for children to live in close proximity to these dogs. "However, one function of my role is around prevention of future deaths." Ms Schofield said she could not make any recommendations under the corner's rules as owning such dogs remained a "personal choice". "However, I'm aware that this case has attracted a lot of publicity and I therefore hope that the press will highlight this case and the danger of keeping such dogs in a family environment with young children," she went on.

Dog details

American Bulldog

The coroner today questioned whether American Bulldogs should be kept by families with young children.

Previous behaviour

Neighbour Connor Maugham, 60, said: "I've seen the dog around, it seemed very placid.

It has since been destroyed.

Criminal proceedings

Mr Ahmed was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter but there was insufficient evidence to charge him with the offence. However, he was charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act in respect of a second dog he owned, a Dogo Argentino bitch called Shakira. He was convicted and banned from keeping dogs for five years. Ms Schofield recorded a narrative verdict, stating that Zumer died "as a result of being savaged by an American Bulldog in her own home".

Postscript

Killer-dog owner Urfan Ahmed fined for breaching ban

27 July 2011

Zumer Ahmed died after being attacked by a dog at her home in Crawley

A West Sussex man who was banned from keeping dogs after one of his pets mauled his niece to death has been fined for breaching the court order. Urfan Ahmed, 33, admitted the charge at Haywards Heath Magistrates' Court, and was fined £500 after police found five dogs at his Crawley address. He had been banned in July 2010 for a breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act. That conviction followed the death of his niece, Zumer Ahmed, who was mauled by another of his dogs in April 2010. Zumer, who was 18 months old, was attacked by Ahmed's American bulldog. The dog was not a banned breed, but Ahmed was later prosecuted for having another animal designated as bred for fighting - a charge he admitted. Following the breach of the banning order, Ahmed was fined £500 plus £250 costs and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Indicators:
Dog known to be dangerous ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"It was a big softie called Teddy"; said victim's aunt

13th September 2020

Victim

Elon Jase Ellis-Joynes, 12 day old male.

Attack details

Teddy; a Chow Chow-cross mauled 12-day-old Elon Jase Ellis-Joynes to death while his mother was out of the room and his father was outside the house playing with another child. Elon's injuries included cuts to legs and abdomen which led to his death.

The three-foot tall Chow Chow crossbreed called Teddy has now been destroyed following Sunday afternoon’s horror. Tragic 12-day-old Elon had been lying in his Moses basket in a downstairs room at the family home when the huge fluffy dog bounded inside after escaping from his pen in the back garden. He grabbed the infant, who weighed less than seven pounds, in his jaws as his dad and the baby’s brother battled in vain to save him.

Killer Chow Chow-cross Teddy 'leapt over rails of pen that was too low' and savaged 12-day-old boy because it was 'jealous' of baby. Neighbour said the dog looked harmless but police struggled to handle it. A dog which mauled a newborn baby to death was ‘probably jealous’ or thought the tiny tot was a toy, the victim’s devastated uncle said today.

Dog details

The dog was a Chow-Chow cross approximately 3 foot tall.

Previous behaviour

Mother's brother said: ‘It was horrible and we’re all in total shock. My sister’s in bits, she’s lost her baby, and her son saw it all.' ‘Teddy’s not a bad or dangerous dog. He’d been living at the house for months and was really good around my sister’s other three kids. ‘I think he was jealous when the new baby came along and all the attention he was getting. Or maybe he thought the baby was a toy, he was a tiny thing and only six pounds something when he was born.’ But the uncle from Rotherham, South Yorkshire - who declined to be named - admitted the open-topped pen in the garden which housed the animal was too low. Pointing to the structure, he said: ‘It’s much too low for him, he’s a big dog about three foot tall and they were making it higher. He didn’t live in the house he lived in the pen. He was shuttered in.’ The uncle, who had come to lay flowers at the scene and pay his respects, fought back tears, saying: ‘What happened is heartbreaking. I never even got to see my new nephew.’ ...

The uncle said the dog went through the open door into a room downstairs where the baby was in a Moses basket. ‘I don’t know the full details because they’re too upset to talk about out. But the dog had never been any trouble before. It had been living there for some time. It was Steve’s daughter’s dog and when he split up with his partner she didn’t want to keep it so my sister took it on. ‘It was a big softie called Teddy and all the kids and adults cuddled it. Police have destroyed it now so that’s another loss.’ He told how most neighbours had been very supportive but ‘some locals have been giving my sister a lot of grief and blaming her for what happened.’ He added: ‘It wasn’t her fault or Steve’s but simply a tragic accident and her son witnessed the attack. It will affect them all forever. They’ll never get over it. ‘She’ll never be able to live here again. They’ll have to move away.’

'He was such a big fluffy dog, he was like a teddy bear. His name was even Teddy. 'You just wouldn't expect it to do anything like that. He's a big soft dog.'

A neighbour said Ellis's partner Joel had died around 18 months ago. Since then, she had struggled to come to terms with her loss, but was 'overjoyed' to be have been expecting a new baby. The friend, who did not wish to be named, said: 'Abi was a great mum, they never had much money but those kids never went without. 'Her older children were so well behaved. I knew she was pregnant again but I didn't know she had the baby until I heard all the commotion on Sunday evening and found out that he had tragically died. 'She always did her best by her other children and losing her partner hit her hard. 'It really affected her, they were so happy together and so close. It is such a tragedy.'

Sally Hooley, who saw the dog being taken away by police, said, 'The dog was a big fluffy golden dog, it looked harmless at first glance. I couldn't tell you the breed but three police officers were struggling to control it to get it into the dog van. 'The dog was strong enough to be dragging three officers into the road. It's so, so sad.' 'It looked like a big fluffy harmless dog. At the end of the day the parents will never get over the loss of their child.' The neighbour said that they didn't know the breed of the dog but that it was 'very big' and 'not something you'd want around small children'. They also said that the dog had a habit of running into other people's gardens.

Coroner's officer David Copley said: "At 3.04pm on Sunday, September 13, a call was made to South Yorkshire Ambulance by Abigail Ellis. "She stated that her son, Elon, was breathing, but was really poorly. "He was bleeding from his leg or his tummy, she thought that one of the dogs had bitten Elon. "She had been on the toilet and her partner Stephen was outside with another child and came running in. "Officers attended and Stephen Joynes identified Elon to police officers."

Criminal proceedings

Mrs Ellis and Mr Joynes were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence after the incident but not charged.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Comment: Lots of comments on how fluffy it was and looking like a Teddy but a quick search for details of a Chow-Chow's temperament reveals they are "fiercely protective", "overly protective of one or two family members", "resistant to training" etc. Not something you want capable of getting anywhere near a 12 day old baby.

... never been aggressive ...

Victim

Harry Harper 8 day old male.

Attack details

20th November 2012

It was shortly after 6:30 am and Harry Harper was asleep in his cot in the sitting room of the family home in Ketley, Shropshire. His grandmother, Theresa Bell, and her Jack Russell terrier, PJ, were also in the room. When his gran left the room to go into the kitchen she expected PJ to follow her but instead, it went to the cot and attacked Harry.

Mikayla Bell, Harry's mother, heard her mother screaming and shouting and ran downstairs to find her holding Harry over the sink, saying repeatedly, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry', 'He's been bitten'. PJ has bitten him.
Harry died from his injuries.

His grandmother said in her statement at Harry's inquest: "I know it was a tragic accident but I will always wonder if I could have done something differently that morning."

Dog details

7 year old Jack Russell Terrier male.

Previous behaviour

PJ, the dog that killed Harry Harper, was described by the mother as "mild-mannered" and that he'd never been aggressive towards children, adults or other dogs. A Detective Inspector told the inquest that the family had an "unblemished history" of caring for dogs over a period of many years and that neither PJ nor the family's German Shepherd had previously displayed signs of dangerous behaviour.
Miss Bell said: "I feel angry about what happened but I don't blame anyone. I am shocked to know it was PJ because he wasn't vicious at all."

At the inquest she said, "PJ was my baby before I gave birth to Harry."

However, it emerged that previously PJ had attacked one of Mikayla’s favourite teddy bears. She tweeted at the time: “My teddy paddy is dead #cryingrealtears my silly little dog pj took one of his eyes.”

Nigel Pitchford, a neighbour of Mikayla Bell's parents said that despite the jack russell's size, the dog was "very vicious". "I tried to post a Christmas card through their letterbox last year and it went for my hand as I posted it through," he said. "It was only small but a vicious little thing."

The coroner said: "There is no evidence to suggest that the death of Harry is anything other than a tragic incident that can't be ruled out from occurring in any other dog-owning household where children are present."

Telford's Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Barkley, recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: "One can only hope that if anything positive can come out of what has been a deeply distressing case, it's that the public recognise the dangers associated with babies and small children being around dogs."

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

... wasn't at all vicious ...

Victim

Archie Joe Darby, 4 months old, male

Attack details

13th October 2016

Jade Rogers had moved into her sister's house a week ago and was 'facetiming' her partner, Dan, when Bailey entered the living room. The only other occupants were Daniel-Jay (22 month) and Archie Joe (4 month), her two young sons.

Bailey, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier was the pet of Jade's sister and brother in law and had lived with them for around four years but at the time Bailey entered the room, his owners were not in the house.

Bailey growled and dived at Daniel-Jay immediately, biting and shaking his head. Jade was holding Archie Joe and tried to fend off Bailey but while doing so Bailey snatched Archie Joe out of Jade's arms.

In no time Archie Joe was dead and Bailey then moved back to continue his attack on Daniel-Jay. Jade managed to get Bailey into the conservatory and shut the door against him but with no way of locking it she had to hold the door shut. Bailey showed no sign of letting up his attack.

Jade managed to call the emergency services even though Daniel-Jay was still being attacked. An ambulance and police car arrived but they had to shout through the letter box to understand why Jade could not leave the conservatory door to let them in to the house.

Once they realised her predicament, the police forced entry and secured the situation. They saw Archie Joe lying on the floor, motionless, and Daniel-Jay with head injuries, sitting, visibly upset, on the sofa.

They decided to call on specialist dog handler expertise, it took more than one, even with their specialist equipment to subdue Bailey because of his aggression, which, continued until Bailey was euthanised.

Dog details

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Previous behaviour

Bailey had been obtained from a rescue centre but no concerns had been raised regarding its temperament. Its previous owner had passed it on to the rescue centre because her other dog had attacked it.

The Police and Crime Commissioner said the dog "didn't have any history" of aggression and "wasn't at all vicious."

Comments: The facts seem to point to the attack being a territorial attack. The dog sees people in its territory while its owners are absent.

This attack occurred less than two months since and 13 miles away from, the death of Dexter Neal. Also killed in a dog attack.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"... tragic and totally avoidable incident.

Victim

Molly-Mae Wotherspoon, 18 months, female

Attack details

Molly-Mae Wotherspoon was being looked after by her grandmother while her mother, Claire Riley, 23, had a night out. Also in the house was Bruiser, an American Pit Bull known to be jealous of Molly-Mae. Bruiser was kept in the kitchen, in a cage, to keep him away from Molly-Mae, but this was not adequate.

When it came to keeping Molly-Mae safe, her grandmother was also inadequate. Susan Aucot, 56, was an alcoholic and had no chance of stopping Bruiser when it broke free of the cage, opened the door to the lounge and immediately attacked Molly-Mae. Molly-Mae's grandmother threw herself across Molly-Mae to save her but by the time Bruiser had been separated from Molly-Mae she had injuries to all four limbs, a fractured skull and puncture wounds to her brain. She died from severe blood loss.

Dog details

American Pit Bull, a breed banned in the UK, 28 month old.

Previous behaviour

Bruiser had been taken to a vet for treatment less than 10 months earlier and the vet suspected it was an American Pit Bull (a banned breed) and not a Staff/Mastiff cross breed as described by Claire Riley. Due to the violence and aggression shown by Bruiser which she described as one of the most dangerous dogs she'd seen, she had concerns about the safety of the general public and for the children who lived in the house. The vet contacted the RSPCA and not police because on previous occasions when she contacted police they had not done anything.

The vet's opinion of police action was fully justified. The alert from the RSPCA entered the police system and was lost. Had it been actioned the dog would have been removed from the house and Molly-Mae would have lived. An investigation was carried out and a recommendation was made that there is a case for misconduct against the PC who should have done more to deal with the reported Pit-Bull. I can find no record of the misconduct hearing happening.

Pictures were published in the newspapers that showed how the dog had been allowed to run rampant in the home and tear up the furniture.

Criminal proceedings

Mother, Claire Riley, 23, admitted owning a dangerously out of control dog and grandmother Susan Aucott, 55, admitted being in charge of one.

Both were sentenced to two years for what the judge described as "a tragic and totally avoidable incident". They will both spend one year in jail them be released on licence for a year. Claire Riley was also banned from keeping a dog for ten years.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Victim

Cadey-Lee Deacon, 5 months, female

Attack details

23rd September 2006

When you have two Rottweilers who are used to guarding their territory you cannot let down your defences for a moment. The Burchells were moving furniture out of The Rocket pub, where they had been living. The easiest way was to lower it from the roof terrace on to the tailgate of a van rather than attempt to take it down the narrow stairs. This entailed opening a fire door leading to the terrace were the Rottweilers were usually kept, (a fire door that leads to two Rottweilers doesn't seem a sensible emergency arrangement). Someone didn't close the fire door and one or both dogs entered the pub.

No one had any inkling that Cadey-Lee Deacon had been snatched from her moses basket and killed by the two Rottweilers until her stepfather went in the bedroom and saw the empty Moses basket in the middle of the floor. 'The baby's not in the bedroom.' he said to Cadey-Lee's mother who was following him up the stairs. She thought he was joking; until she saw the Moses basket in the middle of the floor with its stand knocked over. Then she saw the blood. She ran to the terrace and saw the dog with Cadey-Lee's body next to it.

She grabbed the child and got someone to drive them to the hospital as she felt it would be quicker than waiting for an ambulance, but Cadey was pronounced dead by doctors at the Leicester Royal Infirmary after suffering bites to her head, chest and abdomen.

Two rottweilers were kept to guard the pub and had previously been in contact with Cadey-Lee without incident.

Dog details

Rottweilers (2) four-and-a-half-year-old male and 18-month-old female

Previous behaviour

Mr Burchell obtained Bruno in 2003 and Bess around 18 months later, both as family pets, and had no problems with them. He said: "They had both been introduced to Cadey-Lee. Both liked her. They had never shown any interest in her and had always been okay."

A neighbour, who lives near The Rocket, said the dogs had been used as security for the pub and were kept outside. "The dogs are known to have been vicious - they are guard dogs," she said. "They stay on the roof during the day and whenever you walk past, you get the feeling they could just jump down and attack you."

Criminal proceedings

None.

Inquest verdict

Accidental death, the coroner said the attack was unexpected and the family could not have anticipated it. A postmortem found that the child had suffered a substantial number of injuries including bite marks to her head, chest and abdomen.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Headline

Victim

John-Paul Massey, 4 years,male

Attack details

30th November 2009

John-Paul Massey awoke around midnight and told his grandmother with whom he was staying that he was hungry. When she returned he'd fallen asleep so she gave the crisps to the dog. Immediately, the dog attacked John-Paul. In a scene reminiscent of the ones in which Molly-Mae Wotherspoon and Ellie Lawrenson were killed, John-Paul was also killed.

The similarities didn't end there. In each case:

• The police had been informed of a dangerous dog at the home of a child but did nothing
• Looking after the child was a grandmother who would have no chance of stopping the attack until it was too late
• The attacking dog was a Pit Bull

Dog details

Pit Bull, 2 year old male

Previous behaviour

Uno, the dog that attacked John-Paul, was one of three Pit Bulls owned by Christian Foulkes. This was reduced to two when Uno and Lita attacked and killed the other Pit Bull. When Christian left home to join the army he left the dog with his mother, Helen Foulkes. This, according to a police dog handler - left a gap in the pack hierarchy which Uno, a dog bred for fighting, took as an opportunity to boost its status in the hierarchy. It was conjectured that having seen John-Paul offered food before he was, he decided to attack.

Another neighbour, Amos Ankara, said the dog "would snarl at everyone he walked past. Everyone in the street was wary of it."

Police informed 9 months before attack:

Following the death of five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson in 2007 Merseyside Police became one of the few in the country to introduce a Dangerous Dog policy. This was recognised by the Association of Chief Police Officers for good practice.

In February 2009 Christian Foulkes was reported to the police for breeding Pit Bull Terriers but they decided this wasn't a police matter. In November the police had changed their mind and charged him with the offence. He pleaded guilty to the offence and was jailed for four months. Unfortunately it wasn't the report that prompted police action but the death of John-Paul Massey from an attack by one of the Pit Bulls.

The police appeared to have done all they could to avoid responding to the report. The first step was to downgrade the report to the lowest grade (4), no explanation of how this decision was arrived at was recorded. The case was passed on to the Customer Services Department (CSD), a body set up to prevent front line officers being deployed unnecessarily. Having decided it wasn't a matter for front line officers they then decided it was not a matter for CSD either. They didn't inform Merseyside Police Dog Section and they didn't inform the force's intelligence unit.

There were some successes:

They responded to the housing officer's call within 22 minutes (though the housing officer had made it clear she wouldn't be available after 20) and the call was marked as resolved within their target time of 72 hours. Although resolved in this case meant they had made three calls (the one above, one was engaged and another was 'ringing out'.) They deemed the housing officer was 'not engaging' and that was the end of police involvement until the fatal attack.

Naseem Malik, IPCC commissioner for the north west, said: 'We will never know with any certainty what might have happened if a different decision had been taken by the officers and staff in February 2009.

Comment:
Most people would expect, with some certainty, the police would have investigated, found the dog to be a banned breed and have it removed. With the dog removed it wouldn't have killed John-Paul Massey.

A pdf of the Commissioners Report of the investigation into police response can be found here: John Paul Massey An independent investigation of the response by Merseyside Police to a report of dangerous dogs

Criminal proceedings

Christian Foulkes pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a dangerous dog and one of breeding a dangerous dog. For this he was jailed for four months. His mother, Helen Foulkes, John-Paul's grandmother, admitted one charge of keeping a dangerous dog and was given a four-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and banned from owning a dog again.

Indicators:
Dog known to be dangerous ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"the dogs were docile" said victim's grandfather

Victim

Reuben McNulty, one month old male.

Attack details

18th Nov 2018

A newborn baby boy who was savaged by his parents' two pet dogs has died weeks after suffering horrific injuries in the attack at home. Reuben McNulty was just a month old when he was attacked by two Staffordshire Bull Terriers - named Fizz and Dotty - at the family's two-bedroom flat in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire.

Both of the dogs have been destroyed.

A relative of the family said, "It’s a silly, freak accident."

Dog details

Two Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Age and sex unknown.

Previous behaviour

Reuben's dad had allegedly described his pet Staffordshire Bull terriers as his “babies” months before the infant was mauled. Dan made the remark to a neighbour shortly before Amy gave birth to Reuben, it was claimed. The neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Mirror last month: "When Amy was pregnant I said to Dan, 'What are you going to do about the dogs?' "He told me, 'The dogs are our babies'." A man who was living opposite the couple's flat claimed he told them to "be careful" around the dogs after bringing Reuben home from hospital. The man, who asked not to be named, said: "(Dan) was showing people his new baby because he was so proud of it. "When he showed me the pictures, I said be careful because those dogs might not be used to the baby. "I know what dogs are like when they get jealous "He said 'I will do'. Me and Amy were thinking about that anyway'." Another neighbour described the dogs as 'vicious'. The man said: 'I have seen those dogs before and they are vicious and will show their teeth at anyone.'

Before the attack, Amy had posted scores of photos of her dogs (which she had called her furry babies) and newborn son on Facebook.

Last month, his grandfather said the the dogs were "docile" and insisted his grandson was injured in a “freak accident”, adding of the pets: “They have never been dangerous before.”

Criminal proceedings

"A 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, both from Yaxley, who were arrested on suspicion of child neglect have been released under investigation. "The death is not being treated as suspicious and has been handed to the coroner."

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Comment: Owners of two Staffordshire Bull Terriers which they treat as their babies, introduce a new baby into the house. How can they not see the risk?

"They are not guard dogs; said dog owner"

Victim

David Kearney, eleven year old male.

Attack details

3rd January 1996

Eleven-year-old David Kearney died after being attacked by two Rottweilers. The youngster suffered such shocking injuries that his mother was unable to recognise him when taken to his hospital bedside.

David and his friends were on their way home from a carol service , when their football went over a 6ft fence surrounding a yard. When they climbed over to retrieve it, they came face-to-face with the animals.

The other boys, including David’s eight year-old brother Jason, escaped when they saw the Rottweilers, Jet and Sam, approaching. David was trapped as he stopped to pick up some money he had dropped.

He was dragged around the yard and lay there until the owner Kevin Tierney returned and raised the alarm. He was taken to the intensive care unit at Manchester’s Booth Hall Hospital.

Only David’s back escaped damage. Dirt and dog bites caused gangrene, requiring amputation of his left leg above the knee and causing his kidneys to fail. He was put on a life support machine, but a massive heart attack and a blood clot to his brain led to his parents switching it off.

Dog details

Rottweilers Age and sex unknown.

The two Rottweilers, Sam and Jet were put down at the request of the owner, causing an outcry from animal lovers. The owner said "They are not guard dogs trained to attack people, they are pets but they are also here to look after my house." He also said, "I have never trained them to attack people and I don't take them where there are a lot of people about."

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Comment: Not guard dogs but here to look after the house. If that's not guarding, what is?

"both dogs would act affectionately towards the baby"; said grandmother

Victim

Jaden Joseph Mack, three month old male.

Attack details

8th February 2009

Jaden Mack death: 'It was just a tragic accident' The danger two family pets posed to little Jaden Mack could not have been predicted, an inquest has heard.

The family gathered at the inquest in Newport Coroner’s Court, including mother and father Christopher and Alexandra Mack, and were told the three-month-old was unconscious when he died and would not have felt any pain. Jaden Joseph Mack died after being pulled from his bedding on a living room table and savaged by his grandmother’s Jack Russell and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Grandmother Ann Denise Wilson, who was babysitting while Jaden’s parents had a night off, dozed off “for a few moments” in front of a DVD when the attack happened.

In summing up his verdict of accidental death, coroner David Bowen said the February 6 incident would likely haunt Mrs Wilson for the rest of her life.

He said: “Any criticism of thoughtlessness that may be levelled at Mrs Wilson pales into insignificance compared to the self-recrimination and guilt that will undoubtedly be carried to her grave.”

Mrs Wilson, who had looked after Jaden on Saturday nights since his birth, said she had drunk two glasses of wine and eaten a Chinese takeaway meal on the night of the tragedy. A blood alcohol test conducted after Jaden’s death confirmed Mrs Wilson was not intoxicated, and she said her falling asleep at 11.30pm in front of a film was not a result of alcohol. “I must have dropped off as I remember waking up thinking about the bottle for the baby,” said Mrs Wilson. “I believe it was only for a few moments. “I could see the blanket was dangling and I couldn’t see Jaden. I thought ‘Where is he?’ “As I walked into the back part of the living room, I saw Jaden on the floor. “He was lifeless and there was no sign of crying or movement. I picked him up and I could then see blood on the floor.” Mrs Wilson said she screamed outside for help before neighbour Alan Jones called for an ambulance. Mrs Wilson said she did not make the call 999 herself as she was too upset to speak at the first attempt of dialling.

Pathologist Dr Rick James said a post-mortem examination showed Jaden had died as a result of blood loss due to chest and neck compression and a subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by falling on to the hard surface of the floor, knocking him unconscious. Mr Bowen assured Mr and Mrs Mack their son would have not had any awareness of “events which subsequently transpired”. He added: “I’m sure that having pulled Jaden off the table, probably being attracted by a small cry or his smell, [the dogs] reverted to basic instinct.

“Babies or children should never be left in the presence of a family dog, no matter how friendly their disposition.”

Dog details

Jack Russell and Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Previous behaviour

Giving evidence to the inquest, Mrs Wilson said Staffordshire Bull Terrier Tyson was as “docile as a dormouse” and both dogs would act affectionately towards the baby, licking his hands and feet - but once the pair started licking Jaden’s face, he would always be placed out of the way on the table. “They had shown an interest in the baby when he was on the table, but they had never gone up on to the table and chairs when he was there,” Mrs Wilson said.

Criminal proceedings

Detective Sergeant Christopher Thorne, of Gwent Police, told the inquest a decision was taken not to prosecute anyone following the death.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Comment: A third of the deaths caused by dog attacks were by Jack Russell or Stafforshire Bull Terriers but this death is described as " ... could not have been predicted." Perhaps not predicted with certainty but letting those two dogs near a 3 month old baby was an unnecessary risk.

Dog assessment:

"very sweet natured," with a "lovely temperament"

Victim

Lexi Branson, four year old female.

Attack details

5th November 2013

A mother stabbed her pet dog in a bid to save her four-year-old daughter from a fatal attack.

Jodi Hudson stabbed the dog, Mulan, with a kitchen knife as it mauled her four-year-old daughter Lexi Branson. Lexi died in hospital.

On November 5, the girl was off school sick and watching TV in the lounge, when the fatal attack occurred. Miss Hudson, a single parent, said Mulan ‘went stiff’. She added: ‘The dog went on all fours and stared at Lexi. I said, “No Mulan”, and tapped her and that’s when she went for Lexi. The Aylestone bulldog-type family pet "went straight for her throat, then around her mouth." and her mother was forced to stab the animal with a kitchen knife. Home Office pathologist Michael Biggs told the inquest Lexi had also suffered injuries to her hands, indicating she had tried to defend herself for a brief period.Lexi Branson died from facial injuries and from the dog preventing the little girl breathing

Dog details

Bulldog breeders claimed the dog was not a pure-bred bulldog. They said it may have been a bulldog crossed with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

One said: ‘Bulldogs are bred for temperament. They are placid natured and great around children. ‘It is when you start crossing the breed that the problems occur.’

Female Aylestone bulldog-type between 6 and 8 years old. The family dog.

The family got the former stray dog from a rehoming centre two months before the attack.

Previous behaviour

Sequence of events:

There follows a tragic tale of how various individuals passed on the problem of Mulan, an aggressive Aylestone bulldog, from themselves to the next owner until it killed Lexi.

Mulan had 6 owners before it was acquired from a rehoming centre for £50 by Lexi's mother, someone who had never owned a dog before. Mulan had been microchipped by its first owner and he was traced by the centre but he said he did not want the dog back.

Mulan's last owner called a warden and lied about finding the dog wandering in a park near his home. While he'd owned Mulan it attacked his other dog and he feared it could savage his young children. Lexi's mother was unaware of this. He lied about finding the animal because ‘you have to pay to hand a dog in’.

The dog warden, Jodie Barlow, said Mulan ‘seemed like a yard dog or guard dog’ and ‘didn’t seem like a family pet’. In her notes to the Willow Tree rehoming centre, she said the dog had marks on its face which suggested it had been fighting. More information that was kept from Lexi's mother. In fact, the rehoming centre said Mulan was ‘laid back and placid’ and suitable for rehoming. When Lexi's mother asked about the rehoming centre's advertisement that Mulan was ‘better suited to a home without young children’, she was told only that the dog had a ‘tendency to jump up’ and could knock children over because of its size. Staff described the animal's temperament as ''very friendly''. The centre’s only procedure for checking whether new owners were suitable was the completion of a form. Staff were not required to visit homes before placing an animal.

Miss Hudson said Mulan had shown ‘no signs of aggression at all’ and allowed itself to be cuddled by Lexi. Ms Hudson, described the dog as ''very gentle'', and said it had never shown any aggression to her or her little girl prior to the attack.

I could kill them for saying this dog was safe with children

Gran’s fury at animal charity over rehomed bulldog that killed girl

The grandmother of the four year-old girl mauled to death by her pet bulldog yesterday said she ‘could kill’ staff at the rehoming centre that placed the former stray with her family. She said she held Willow Tree Dog Rehoming Centre ‘responsible’ because it had allowed the dangerous dog to be taken into the home with a child just weeks earlier.

Mrs Hudson, 49, said: ‘They have taken away our precious girl. I could kill them for that. They deserve whatever they get now.

"I don’t know whether or not they knew she had a little girl." Willow Tree holds the contract to provide kennelling for strays picked up by Leicester City Council.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"seemed like they were nice enough dogs"; Neighbour

Victim

Elayne Stanley, 44 year old female

Attack details

24th September 2019

Elayne Stanley, 44, was killed by her two Mastiff-type dogs.

Elayne and her daughter, Louise, had been having a heated discussion and as she was leaving, DJ, a male American bulldog crossed with a dogue de Bordeaux, bit her mother on the bottom of her leg. Louise said she was trying to put the other dog, Billy, into the kitchen but it joined in the attack. At this point Louise ran across the road, screaming: “The dogs are attacking mum.” Residents reported hearing “terrible screams” and someone shouting for towels during the attack. Paramedics tried to save her and an air ambulance was scrambled but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her long-time friend Bev Hall, 39, told how she and her partner Jay attempted to distract the frenzied dogs during the attack but Elayne bled to death in the living room from her injuries. Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr Sigee said: “Miss Stanley died as a result of multiple dog bite injuries sustained when she was attacked by her two dogs within her home.”

Dog details

Male American bulldog crossed with a dogue de Bordeaux. Female American Bulldog.

Previous behaviour

The inquest was told the dogs had previously been owned by her partner Paul Leigh, who did not attend the hearing even though he had been called to give evidence. He told police: “Not once have them dogs ever been owned by me, except when I went into that courtroom.” Court orders requiring him to take steps to keep them under control were made in 2016 after incidents involving the dogs including an attack on another dog which had to be put to sleep and an incident where another dog owner was injured. Comments from neighbours: “She had the dogs for two or three years. I have never known those dogs to be violent. My kids have slept on those dogs and used them as pillows. I can’t believe it. “They used to bark when you went in and Elayne had started shutting her curtains because they would bark when people went past, but I have never known the dogs to act that way.” In a Facebook post, Elayne had written that the dogs had previously become “p***** off” when she wouldn’t let them play with one of her children’s teddy bears. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “They always seemed like they were nice enough dogs, they were never out of control.” “I never used to hear the dogs barking. It’s so sad. Elayne was only little and thin. She must have been eight stone. “With two big dogs she didn’t stand a chance.”

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"... Winston on the whole had been placid and docile."

Victim

Frankie Macritchie, 9 year old male

Attack details

13th April 2019

Frankie MacRitchie, 9, was savaged to death at Tencreek Holiday Park in Looe, Cornwall

Frankie had been staying at the site with his mother who was at a party in another caravan where some guests were drinking, smoking marijuana and were taking cocaine when Winston, an extremely powerful and potentially dangerous dog attacked him when he was alone. Frankie's grandparents were also on the site and had offered to look after him but this offer was not accepted and Frankie was left alone with the dog.

A postmortem revealed that Frankie, who weighed 47kg - just 2kg more than the dog, had 54 bites, mainly on his face, neck, and chest and had died from blood loss . A portion of his scalp tissue had been torn off and one of his ears was hanging on by a thread. There was also a 15cm by 14cm wound on the boy's head, and evidence that he had tried to defend himself.

When Willis returned to the caravan in the early hours of the morning, a holidaymaker nearby heard her crying out 'my baby, my baby'.

Sadie Totterdell the dog owner, fled and took Winston across the fields before catching a train with him to Plymouth where she was later arrested.

The court had heard that earlier on the day of the incident Frankie was seen blowing in the dog's nose, which 'it did not like'.

Previous behaviour

Frankie was left with Winston, even though the dog had bitten children before and had a history of disobedience.

The trial judge said he accepted that Winston had been mostly a happy dog, but his size and strength must have been obvious to everybody. There had been incidents in the past that reinforce any dog can be dangerous. Some time before this event, he had bitten another child who was injured enough to require medical treatment and this should have served as a "red flag".

News sources said the seven-year-old dog, had been involved in four less-serious attacks – one a few weeks ago and that Winston was often muzzled after being involved in previous, less serious, attacks.

On at least one occasion, Winston had escaped from Totterdell’s garden and police had reminded her of her responsibilities as his owner, the court heard.

It was also mentioned on behalf of Totterdell that Winston on the whole had been placid and docile.

Dog details

American bulldog Staffordshire cross

45kg (seven stone)

Criminal proceedings

Totterdell pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in the death. She was jailed for three years. His mother Tawnee Willis was jailed for two years after admitting neglecting a young person, causing unnecessary suffering/injury.

Totterdell was also banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.

The court heard how Totterdell has previous convictions for violence, drug and driving offences whereas Willis is of previous good character.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Neighbour:

"It was a docile dog ..."

Victim

Kirsty Ross, 25 year old, female

Attack details

7th November 2000

Kirsty Ross suffered from epilepsy, and owned a Doberman. This combination led to her death. She was in her living room with her 22 month old daughter when she had a seizure and, if the pathologist is to be believed, she died not from an attack by the dog but from the dog trying to help her.

During the seizure the dog tried to help her by grabbing her by what, on a puppy, would be the scruff of the neck but this caused a gash that led to her bleeding to death. Her daughter was unharmed.

Dog details

Doberman, 13 month old male.

Previous behaviour

"Kenneth, her fiancé, stated "the dog would stand and stare at Kirsty when she was fitting and had to be reassured by him. He described the dog as being confused". A neighbour said: "I can't believe it. It was a docile dog, a bit stupid really. I have played around with it when he brought it over. The dog had never been a cause of concern."

Comment: If the pathologist is basing his opinion the Doberman was trying to help because there was a single bite and not a series of bites then it might be he's not aware of how a dog bred for protection uses a 'bite and hold' technique to control someone rather than the series of bites that a terrier would use. The absence of a savage attack does not mean the dog was trying to help.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"shown no aggression to humans"

Victim

Dexter Neal, 3 year old, male

Attack details

18th August 2016

Dexter Neal often played with the Dunne children who lived at the house whose garden backed on to his. He would walk around and enter the garden through the lean-to where Ruby, the neighbour's American Bulldog, was kept. Ruby was usually kept indoors when the children were playing in the garden.

On this day Dexter was walking into the garden with his sister and one of the Dunne children but Ruby was not locked away safely. The first two children passed Ruby without any response but when Dexter, who had told Jade Dunne he was afraid of dogs, was near, Ruby growled scaring Dexter. It then attacked pushing him to the floor and biting him repeatedly on the neck and head. Jade Dunne, the dog's owner, came running when she heard the screaming but her attempts to get the dog off Dexter consisted of hitting it with a tea-towel which unsurprisingly had “no effect” at all. A neighbour managed to grab the dog’s collar and haul it away. Dexter was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. However, he died through cardiac arrest due to blood loss, his mother by his side.

The dog was seen later sat calmly outside the house being held on a lead. The only sign of its involvement in the attack was the blood around its mouth, head and paws.

Dog details

American Bulldog

Previous behaviour

The dog had come from a rehoming centre. At the prosecution the court was told Jade Dunne failed to properly exercise the dog and when it was walked it had to be muzzled because it "sometimes didn't like other dogs" but no further details were given of what form this took. It had never shown aggression to humans, was always kept indoors when children were playing in the garden and had no contact with the Neal children. The prosecutor said Ruby may have exhibited "prey behaviour", when a dog is not trained out of its wild instincts to attack, but suggestions the dog "barked or growled" before it attacked were inconsistent with this. "Dexter could have been in too close proximity," she said. "Of course at the age of three Dexter could not read the negative signs and had no chance to get out of the way." She said Dunne could not reasonably have foreseen the attack. The dog was destroyed as it exhibited "unpredictable behaviour" while in the custody of dog experts.

Criminal proceedings

Jade Dunne was found guilty of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control resulting in death. She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. She was also disqualified from owning a dog for 10 years and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. She later moved away from the area.

Comment: Another attack that could not have been foreseen according to the prosecution; by a dog that had to be locked away when children visited the house and muzzled when outside because of incidents with other dogs.
An attack when children visit the house and it was not locked away sounds quite foreseeable.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Owner said dog "was timid 95% of the time"

Victim

David Ellam, 52 years,male

Attack details

15th August 2016

The attack on David Ellam started around 9:43am on Monday, 15th August 2016 and the first calls to the police were made 5 minutes after this. They arrived on the scene 8 minutes later to see the dog biting into David Ellam's right leg and thrashing it from side to side. He also had wounds to his left leg and arms, had lost a lot of blood and was falling in and out of conciousness.

One of the policemen went to the patrol car and got a fire extinguisher and fired it into the dogs face.The dog ran off but returned to continue its attack. Another blast of the extinguisher made it run off again but this time it attacked David Ellam's small dog. By now Aaron Joseph had arrived on the scene and he grabbed his dog and put it into the pen.

David Ellam had a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and was operated on when he got to the hospital but died around 9:00pm

Dog details

Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, female

Previous behaviour

• 2011
• February - Joseph reported for noise disturbance from his dog.
• April - Neighbour complains to council Joseph's dog had "been pulling at his clothes and biting his feet." This made the neighbour “very scared and that he didn’t want to go home”.
• April - Council sent Joseph a letter.

• 2012
• March - Joseph's dog bit council worker. This led to a Dog Control Order in October. This required the dog to be:
• muzzled at all times when outside in the open air
• According to Aaron Joseph he did muzzle Alex but she used to scratch it off so he stopped putting it on.
• kept on a lead at all times in a public place (excluding flexi-leads)
• insured
• neutered
• micro-chipped
• April - bit a neighbour on the cheek.
• October - offer of help for neutering and microchipping from Dog Warden (ignored).
• December - 2nd offer of help (also ignored).

• 2013
• October - bit another neighbour.

• 2016
• May - Ellam contacted dog wardens and said it “... might attack someone ..."
• June - Dog seized.
• July - Dog examined.
• 8th August - Dog returned without dog warden being informed.
• When Alex was returned to Aaron he said the policeman told him the dog wasn't dangerous. I suspect the was told it wasn't classed as a dangerous breed according to the legal definition, not that it wasn't a dangerous dog.
• 9th August - Ellam asked why dog was back in pen.
• 10th August - Joseph argued with the dog warden that the dog had not hurt anyone and was not nasty or aggressive. This is despite him having apologised to the neighbours it had attacked.
• 11th August - Police threaten to take the dog if Joseph doesn't comply with the October 2012 Dog Control Order, nearly 4 years after it was issued.
• 15th August - The dog attacks and kills David Ellam.

Criminal proceedings

Aaron Joseph, aged 30, was convicted of owning a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.

At his trial he said: “Alex was a big softie. She didn’t go round terrorising things.” This contradicted the evidence of the council workman, Josh Sykes, and three of his neighbours who had been bitten by his dog.

Indicators:
Dog known to be dangerous ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"I never thought Tutu would behave like that"; said dog keeper

Victim

Dean Parker, seven year old male.

Attack details

21st November 1993

A seven-year-old boy was killed when he was savaged by a dog as he built a snowman on a school playing field near his home. Dean Parker suffered severe head and neck injuries in the attack by a mastiff crossbreed. The incident happened as he played with his friend Edward Davies, eight, on the playing fields of their school.

Two other boys were walking the powerful dog nearby as Dean and Edward gathered snow to make their snowman. The dog appeared friendly at first, playing with the boys and leaping at a giant snowball they had rolled, smashing it into pieces. Edward, who had gone off to find more snow, turned round after hearing Dean cry out and saw his friend being savaged. He was not strong enough to pull the dog away, so he ran for help to nearby houses. Dean's father Stephen rushed to his son's aid -- but it was too late. ''It appears the dog went out of control and attacked Dean, who died from the injuries sustained,'' said a police Inspector.

Dog details

2 year old male mastiff.

Previous behaviour

Last night the keeper of the dog, a two-year-old named Tutu, said he was devastated. Mr Paul Sanderland, of Middlesbrough, who is understood to have been looking after it while its owner was abroad, said: ''I can express my sorrow but that is no good to the lad's family. I would rather it had been me. ''I never thought Tutu would behave like that.He is a family pet who gets knocked about by all the kids and has never so much as growled at them.

He said his two eldest sons Gareth, 10, and Craig, seven, had taken Tutu for a walk on a lead but the dog managed to pull free while jumping about in the snow.

A mastiff is a large and powerful working dog which during Roman times was pitted against bears, lions, tigers, bulls, other dogs, and human gladiators. The RSPCA's chief veterinary officer said: ''The mastiff is one of our biggest dogs, probably 3ft at the shoulder. It is not necessarily more vicious than other breeds but if it does attack, it has the sheer power in its jaws and head to kill.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

dog ... behaved 'naturally and instinctively'

Victim

Reggie Young, three week old male.

Attack details

20th June 2015

A father who drunkenly slept through a sustained fatal attack by the family's terrier on his three-week-old son was jailed for 21 months. Reggie Young's mother, Maria Blacklin, screamed in horror when she came home to find the baby barely alive, with partner Ryan Young and Lakeland Terrier-cross Tricky asleep.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the attack by the foot-tall dog could easily have been stopped, but the father did not wake up and the mauling may have lasted up to 20 minutes.

Young later told police he had drunk eight cans of Foster's lager, and a taxi driver came forward to say he had been asked to deliver eight more to the address in Sunderland on the evening of June 2015.

Miss Blacklin's grandmother had died that day and she had gone out to console her family, leaving her partner, a roofer, to look after Reggie, who was in a bouncer in the lounge.

Dog details

Lakeland Terrier-cross, two year old.

The dog was kept in the garden and normally only allowed in the kitchen, but there were no concerns over its temperament around children; it was not a fighting dog or used in vermin control. However one dog information site says, "Little creatures that run, including your child's pet hamster, will quickly come to an untimely end."

Previous behaviour

Ryan Young's defence barrister said the dog had no history of aggression but behaved 'naturally and instinctively' on the night.

Miss Blacklin returned home after 4am to what Judge Tim Gittens said was a scene of 'Gothic horror', with her newborn on the floor in a pool of blood. Reggie was blue but still breathing and paramedics were called but he could not be saved. Young later told police: 'I would not say I was drunk, more tired.' Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said: 'The officers who arrived described the defendant as appearing drunk.' He refused to give a breath test and the amount he had drunk was not clear. Inquiries suggested the baby fell or was dragged from the bouncer and was mauled by the terrier. The animal had not been introduced to the newborn and may have been driven to attack by Reggie's 'unco-ordinated' movements. Mr Dodds said: 'Had the defendant not been asleep in drink, he would have been able to stop the attack.' Young, who admitted being the owner of dog that resulted in the death while dangerously out of control at a previous hearing, wept loudly throughout the proceedings.

Young carried his son's coffin ahead of his funeral service, Caroline Goodwin QC, defending, said. 'He is absolutely devastated,' she said. 'Nothing he can do can turn back the clock and bring back his own child.

The dog had been acquired from a nearby relative from being a puppy and was around two years old.

Criminal proceedings

Ryan Young admitted being in charge of a dangerous dog after his baby's death.

Young, of Sunderland, denied separate charge of neglect and this will lie on file.

Judge Gittens said Young's alcohol intake that night 'significantly intoxicated' him, 'if not to the point of stupor, then into a very deep sleep'. He said: 'Reggie was subjected to a most dreadful, torturous, confusing attack and he sustained horrific and painful injuries.' The judge accepted that Young, a hard-working father, had developed depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in which he repeatedly experienced the aftermath of the terrier attack.

He said: 'I am satisfied that your lack of control of your animal was due to the influence of alcohol and your selfish decision to drink to excess after a hard day at work.' The judge jailed Young for 21 months and banned him from keeping a dog for seven years. He commended the emergency services for their efforts to save the baby, and described the scene they found as 'traumatic'. He said: 'It is clear that they nonetheless dealt with it in the most professional way and they did all they could for Reggie.' No family members were in court for the sentencing hearing.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"Unable to tame the animal"

Victim

Clifford Clarke, seventy-nine year old male.

Attack details

25th May 2013

A Liverpool army veteran was “literally eaten alive” by a crazed dog that hadn’t been fed or watered for two days. Defenceless Clifford Clarke, 79, was mauled to death in the back garden of his Clubmoor home by his neighbour’s starving pet in May last year. The animal was so hungry in the hours before attacking Mr Clarke that it attempted to devour a plastic bowl, bird food and cigarette butts.

A neighbour who saw the pet in her garden “snarling” and “foaming at the mouth” called Liverpool council’s dog wardens only to be told it would take four hours for them to attend. A neighbour heard Mr Clarke yell "get off me" before seeing the animal savage the former athlete and hospital worker. The dog was so agitated when police arrived that it tried to bite the end of a rifle used to kill it. And after being shot once, it got up and tried to attack again.

Retired hospital porter Clifford Clarke, who had celebrated his 79th birthday the day before the tragedy on May 13, was savaged after airing his kitchen while cooking a pan of scouse. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the animal “amputated” his left arm and left his right arm “hanging by a thread”.

Dog details

Presa Canario Dog had not been fed for 45 hours, but pair avoid recent change in law that could have seen them jailed for 14 years

Previous behaviour

Criminal proceedings

The dog’s owners, mum-of-one Della Woods and Hayley Sulley, both 30, were jailed for one year as a court was told how the presa canario breed, called Charlie, was left to swelter without shade on one of the hottest days of the year.

Judge Mark Brown said Mr Clarke’s death was “entirely avoidable” and condemned Woods and Sulley for leaving Charlie unattended in their garden while they went to a barbecue. He said prosecutors could have attempted to charge the pair with manslaughter instead of an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act and causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

The judge told them: "I am satisfied this dreadful and forceful attack on Mr Clarke was entirely avoidable. "Mr Clarke was literally eaten alive by Charlie when large amounts of tissue were ingested by the dog and that is a very shocking, appalling and tragic event." He added: “Mr Clarke suffered a horrific death and you have taken away from his family the love and companionship he would have provided." The court was told that the dog had managed to escape through a wooden panel from the home the women shared in Richard Kelly Close. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, told how a neighbour saw Charlie and another of the defendants’ three dogs, Gypsy, in Mr Clarke’s garden at around 6.30pm and said he was “glad he had a hatchet with him to protect himself, such was the conduct of the dogs in the garden”. Later both dogs ran up to a conservatory on a house backing on to Mr Clarke’s property. Mr Lamb said Charlie was “foaming at the mouth” and was seen eating bird food and dirty water from a bowl containing cigarette butts. The owner of the house, Selina Hagan, called the RSPCA for a number for the council’s dog wardens but was told there was a four-hour wait. By 8.30pm, the “out of control” dog had attacked Mr Clarke – who had undergone two hip replacements and suffered athritis and diabetes – and dragged him from the back entrance of his kitchen. A neighbour, Michael Rankin, saw the horror unfold. Mr Lamb said: “He saw Cliff Clarke lying down and the dog pulling his arm off. Mr Rankin ran back in and with great presence of mind he called the police and picked up a golf club. “He was ready to try and step in to rescue Mr Clarke. He reached the point at which he had straddled the fence but he was told by the emergency services not to cross the fence. “He said the dog was ‘just basicallly eating Cliff’s arm”. Another witness compared it to watching “a horror film”, while a police officer said it was the “worst thing I had ever seen”.

Police attended and were unable to tame the animal. One officer suffered injuries after falling from a wheelie bin. After jumping 6ft and attempting to bite the end of a police marksman’s rifle, the dog was shot twice. The court heard how it still tried to attack even after being shot once. Mr Clarke was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness after sustaining horrific injuries.

When Sulley, of Richard Kelly Close, and Woods, of Swallowhurst Crescent, in Norris Green, were arrested, one claimed they had fed the dog that afternoon. But the court heard how tests of the animal’s stomach and intenstine showed it had not been fed for at least 45 hours. Simon Driver, defending Woods who has an eight-year-old son, said "truly tragic consequences" followed from his client's "negligence". He said: "A man who led a dignified life met a painful and undignified end. She will carry that burden through her life." Teresa Loftus, defending Sulley who has a seven-year-old daughter, also said her client was remorseful. Neither had previous convictions at the time of the tragedy. Judge Brown said: "You both understand the tragic consequences and wish bitterly you could turn the clock back so these events would not happen again."

Both women were banned from owning dogs.

Liverpool council denied its dog warden service had acted incorrectly. A spokesman said: “We contract a dog warden service out of hours which will collect stray animals. If a dog is acting dangerously or is out of control callers are advised to contact Merseyside Police. Our enquiries indicate that the service acted entirely appropriately based upon the information they were given.”

New laws have been brought in since the fatal attack on Clifford Clarke – with a maximum sentence of 14 years but because the attack predated the change in the law, Della Woods and Hayley Sulley only faced a maximum jail term of two years. The new law brings the maximum sentence for allowing a lethal attack in line with the punishment for causing death by dangerous driving. Judge Mark Brown said: “I hope that the recent changes to the law will be of some small comfort to Mr Clarke's family.“

Legislation has been toughened in the wake of a series of horrific dog attacks in which children and adults have been killed. The amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act also mean dog owners can be prosecuted if an attack takes place inside their own home – unless the victim is a trespasser – or on any other private property.

Clifford Clarke’s brother told how there were “no winners” as Hayley Sulley and Della Woods were sent to prison.

Ken Clarke, 77, backed calls for changes in the law to protect the public from violent dogs and said all dogs should be muzzled in public.

Mr Clarke, who sat in the public gallery as the facts of the case were outlined, said his family was “devastated” by Clifford’s death.

Speaking outside court, he said: “There are no winners. “I will never see my brother again, these two woman have gone to jail and they have never been jailed before. I have just been talking to the girls’ parents because they’re in bits, because it is not their fault. And we’ve got two kids without their mothers all because of a dog. “The simplest thing in the world is to get a muzzle. If you can afford a tin of dog food for £1 then you can afford a muzzle.”

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"... never had any problems."; said victim's father

Victim

Liam Eames, one year old male.

Attack details

11th July 2005

One year old Liam Eames was grabbed by the head and neck by his family's American Bulldog as he crawled across the floor.

Dog details

Female American Bulldog, acquired from a rescue centre eight months before the attack.

Previous behaviour

Although the victim's father said there had never been any problems he had received a wound to his hand when he tried to separate the American Bulldog from his other dog, a Bordeux Bulldog. He also said the dog had a nervous temperament.

Notes

RSPCA spokeswoman said:
"Any dog has the potential to attack if provoked. As well as hot weather, noise, unpredictable behaviour and other factors can cause a usually friendly animal to bite."

Leeds Coroner’s Court was told that until it attacked the boy, the four-year-old bitch, called Missy, had seemed an ideal playmate

Trevor Turner, the chief veterinary officer of Crufts said the dog was probably having a phantom pregnancy and believed she had pups. He said: "The approach of Liam crawling towards her would be perceived as a threat and there would be a natural reaction. "The dog behaved in the only way it could and guarded its personal space."

Comment: I find the statements from both the RSPCA and the vet baffling. To start with provocation as relevant advice when talking of a one year old crawling on the floor is a damning indictment of dogs. The RSPCA's list of other reasons why a dog might attack: hot weather, noise, unpredictable behaviour and whatever is meant by "other factors" is likewise, as good a reason as any for seeing dogs as unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

Also, I have read no evidence that the dog was having a phantom pregnancy other than this vet's statement. The attack happened in July and the vet's statement was in December so it's unlikely he saw the dog as it was euthanised soon after the attack, so his explanation sounds like clutching at straws to excuse the killing. If anyone can correct me on this, please do so.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"it had bonded well"; Dog owner

Victim

Keira Ladlow, 21 year old female

Attack details

5th February 2021

On the night of 4th February 2021 Keira told her brother, Kayden, she felt his dog Gucci was going to bite her. He dismissed this as a symptom of her emotional problems and thought she had possibly missed taking her medication. She was last seen alive by Kayden as he went to work and despite her fear of being bitten by Gucci, Keira had her in her bed. Keira was found dead in the lounge, covered in blood, at 2pm 5th February 2021. Gucci was cowering in the corner.

Dog details

Female Staffordshire bull terrier cross

Previous behaviour

Gucci, a female Staffordshire bull terrier cross, had been taken in by Keira's brother 5 month's previously when she was being given away because she had bitten one of its owner's other dogs. He said he got the dog because he thought it might help Keira's mental health and he believed it had bonded well with them both.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Neighbours claimed the dog was known as 'Killer'

Victim

Ava-Jayne Corless, 11 months old, female

Attack details

10th February 2014

Lee Wright settled down on his sofa with his girlfriend, Chloe King, and smoked a joint, he had his own cultivation setup in a bedroom. In another bedroom slept 11 month old Ava-Jayne Corless, Chloe's daughter. Pretty soon all three were asleep. One who wasn't asleep was Snoop, Lee's pitbull, though he'd later swear it was an American bulldog because pitbulls are a banned breed in the UK. Snoop was behind a makeshift barrier of a golf bag case and a speaker stand. But not for long. Snoop, known in the neighbourhood as Killer, went upstairs to Ava-Jayne's bedroom and attacked.

Here, in the mother's words, is what happened next: "I walked into the bedroom. The landing light was on but the bedroom light was not. "I remember seeing there was a dark stain about halfway down the bed.

I noticed the dog was in the bedroom and I thought what is it doing there.

"Ava was halfway down the bed. My initial thought was that I needed to pick her up. "I knelt on the bed and picked her up. She still had a blanket on her. Ava was really floppy. "I had only just woken up. At that point I had not realised blood was on her. I thought she was in a deep sleep. "I laid Ava on the bed, kneeling over her, cuddling her, Ava made a grunting noise. "I was giving her kisses, talking to her ... Lee was screaming 'is she all right?' I got my phone and said I need an ambulance now. "I turned the light on, I saw Ava pale, her lips were really white. I thought she was asleep for a split second. I then noticed drops of blood on the floor. "I ran out in the hallway. I thought I was going to pass out. I felt sick and I collapsed on the floor. "I thought I [had] woke up in a nightmare and it could not be happening."

Neighbours said they were alerted by the sound of police being held back by Snoop "barking wildly and they couldn’t get inside, they had to wait quite a long time before entering.”

Police officers and paramedics performed CPR on Ava-Jayne prior to taking her to Royal Blackburn Hospital. Here doctors also tried to save her but were unsuccessful and she died shortly afterwards.

When the police had finally entered the house, which belonged to Lee Wright, they noticed a strong smell of cannabis and found the cultivation setup in the bedroom. Lee Wright was tested and found to be under the influence of cannabis. Chloe King tested negative for alcohol and cannabis.

Dog details

Male Pitbull (9 stone).

Previous behaviour

Neighbours claimed the dog was known as 'Killer' and had previously killed a cat in someone's garden.This was confirmed by the RSPCA. A spokesman said: “We were contacted about a cat that had been attacked and died in a garden at this address in March 2012. At the time there was no suggestion the incident was anything other than an accident. No action was taken.”

One of the neighbours said there was more than one dog kept at the home and added: “I had complained to the police about the dogs before because they had been coming into our garden. I have three kids who play in the garden, and one dog was bothering them. I had to chase it out.”

Lee Wright's dogs had come to the attention of the RSPCA previously “due to their poor treatment and lack of control”. In a written statement to the inquest a neighbour said about an incident: “I saw Lee Wright’s dog with my cat in its mouth. The dog was running backwards and forwards shaking the cat around. I was hysterical.”

Criminal proceedings

Police bailed Ava-Jayne's mother, Chloe King, 20, and her boyfriend Lee Wright, 26, on suspicion of manslaughter. Later, these charges were dropped.

Lee Wright was found guilty of possessing a dangerous dog and jailed for 18 weeks. He was also banned from keeping any dog for five years.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Neighbour: "It was a docile dog ..."

Victim

Eliza-Mae Mullane, 6 days old, female

Attack details

18th February 2014

Patrick Mullane was known as being a big softie when it comes to dogs. A neighbour said, "... they loved their dogs as much as their children." So it wasn't surprising that when he heard during a night out in the pub, that Nisha was going to be put down, he would take it home. Nisha was an Alaskan Malamute, a dog known to be one of the most dangerous dogs in the world.

A few months later there was a more delicate addition to the household. Eliza-Mae spent the first three days of her life in intensive care. On her third day at home, after being fed by Sharon, her mother, placed her in her pram while she went to put Eliza-Mae's brother in the taxi for school. As she went out the door, Nisha pushed past, went in the room and killed Eliza-Mae.

When Sharon returned she saw Nisha in the living-room and Eliza-Mae on the floor with serious head injuries. Believing she was dead, Sharon was screaming "The baby’s gone! He’s blaming me for it.’ God knows what’s happened in there.” While a neighbour comforted her she sobbed, "I don't know what to do. "The dog ate my baby's head!"

Despite attempts to resuscitate the infant, she later died in hospital.

Dog details

Alaskan Malamute, male, 5/6 years old?

Previous behaviour

Following the attack there were the usual comments. One anonymous neighbour, described the dog as 'docile'. She said: 'I have been into Sharon's house several times and the dog - it was like a husky - has been there, it doesn't cause any harm. the dogs had never shown any signs of aggression. There was nothing wrong with that dog. It had been around children for a few years. Certainly I had no concerns about it.'

Others said, “Nisha was probably about five or six years old. I think it may have badly treated in the past.” but there is no evidence to back up their statements.

Comment: Her father wanted the potential danger of family dogs highlighted. "I hope this inquest will raise public awareness of the potential dangers family dogs can present to very young children."

This death occurred just nine days after the death of 18 month old Ava-Jayne Corless, also killed by a dog as she slept. This was front page news and prompted many warnings about the danger to children from dogs.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☑
Previous behaviour ignored ☐
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Owner said dogs were "loving, really friendly, timid"

Victim

Jade-Lomas-Anderson, 14 years old, female

Jade Lomas-Anderson's stepfather, Michael Anderson, described Jade as well-behaved, very polite with good manners and "the ideal daughter".

Attack details

26th March 2013

It was the start of the school holidays and Jade wanted to stay over at her friend Kimberley Concannon's house but her parents wouldn't let her, until she managed to win them over with a good school report.

She went home the next day but later returned to the house. It was during this return visit the attack happened. Beverley Concannon, Kimberley's mother, owned 5 dogs, two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers and a mongrel. On the day of the attack the only ones in the house were Kimberly Concannon, Beverley's daughter, her friend Jade and the five dogs. At around 1:30 in the afternoon Kimberly went next door to ask if the could warm a pie as their microwave was broken. This left Jade, a stranger to the dogs, in the lounge alone.

There are no witnesses to the attack but it is conjectured that Jade went into the kitchen, where the dogs were kept, to answer Kimberley's mobile phone. Three dogs that were free to roam in the kitchen attacked and Buddy broke out of the cage in which he was usually imprisoned. As a pack they then attacked Jade and she had bites from "head to toe" particularly to her neck.

The next person to see Jade was Kimberly when she returned about five minutes later and saw Jade on the floor. She ran back to the next door neighbour and banged on the kitchen window and said she had seen Jade and she's dead. "She kept repeating the words over and over again and tears rolling down her face."

Police arrived at around 2pm and had to shoot four of the dogs to get inside the house. The fifth dog was in a separate room and had not been part of the attack. At the inquest Jade's father asked the Home Office pathologist if Jade had suffered for long and was told "... no, she did not."

Dog details

Bull mastiffs, 2 male; and Staffordshire bull terriers, 1 male, 1 female

Previous behaviour

Beverley Concannon, the owner of the dogs used a picture of one of the bull mastiffs as her Facebook profile image and referred to the dogs as her babies. At Jade's inquest she said she'd never seen any aggression from her animals and they were "loving, really friendly, timid" but added that Buddy was "giddy". However, she had said on her Facebook site that the bull mastiff had been "too protective though he doesn't like youngsters or screaming. He has gone to bite but had him castrated to calm him down." The vet who carried out the castration said he was "one of the most aggressive dogs I have ever dealt with". Concannon also said the dog had cost her £1,000 after it had killed a cat and a parrot.

Beverley Concannon's choice and treatment of the dogs was an important factor in the killing of Jade. There were three males and one bitch, all relatively young, which meant they would certainly fight. In the three months leading up to the attack the dogs had not been walked except for being let out into the yard. Buddy a bull mastiff was kept in a cage with insufficient room to turn around or lie down. A cage be seen in one of the photos

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

"Reuben had grown up with Ellie and used to play with her"

Victim

Ellie Lawrenson, 5 years old, female

Attack details

1st January 2007

It was New Year's Eve and Jackie Simpson was looking after her five year old granddaughter, Ellie Lawrenson. She had been given strict instructions to never let Reuben, the pit bull into the house. This wasn't a 'just in case' precaution but a very real risk to Ellie. It was bred for fighting and had attacked a dog belonging to a 70 year old neighbour. He'd reported the incident to the police and said he suspected the dog was a Pit Bull, a breed banned in the UK. Unfortunately, gran was in no fit state to look after Ellie. She had been drinking wine, taking anti-depressants and a sleeping tablet, and smoked ten 'spliffs' (cannabis rolled with tobacco). Even taking this into account it difficult to see why she made the fatal decision to let the Pit Bull into the house. Only six week's previously Reuben had attacked Jackie's 20 year old daughter Kelsey so badly she needed hospital treatment. It was Gran who'd been forced to drag the dog off Kelsey so she was fully aware of the danger. She said she'd let it in the house because it had been frightened by a firework let off during New Year celebrations.

Once the dog was in the house it went for Ellie. The attack lasted around 25 minutes with Gran fighting, unsuccessfully, to get the dog off Ellie. By the time it ended, Ellie had 72 injuries, mainly to her head and neck.

Dog details

Pit Bull

Previous behaviour

Reuben was a dog that had grown up with Ellie and used to play with her, fetching a ball when she kicked it away, pinching Ellie's toys then letting her take the toy off him. This picture of the two playmates is the one described by Gran. In contrast to this is the picture described by others: As well as the two attacks mentioned above, Lindsey Simpson, Ellie's mother, tells of how she would see the dog looking into the house and feel it was jealous of Ellie being inside while it was outside. She said: "I hated the dog. It destroyed everything in its sight - it used to destroy Ellie's toys. I could see it was going to snap her hand off one day grabbing a toy." She added: "Everybody knew what it (the dog) could do if it got a child."

Criminal proceedings

Jackie Simpson, Ellie Lawrenson's grandmother was found not guilty of Ellie's manslaughter.

Kiel Simpson, the owner of the dog was jailed for eight weeks for owning the American pit bull terrier, a type banned under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. He was also banned from owning a dog for five years.

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Victim

Jane Doe, 14 years old, female

Attack details

Date?

Dog details

Previous behaviour

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Victim

Jane Doe, 14 years old, female

Attack details

Date?

Dog details

Previous behaviour

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Victim

Jane Doe, 14 years old, female

Attack details

Date?

Dog details

Previous behaviour

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑

Victim

Jane Doe, 14 years old, female

Attack details

Date?

Dog details

Previous behaviour

Indicators:
Dog believed to be safe ☐
Previous behaviour ignored ☑
Breed expected to guard, fight or hunt ☑