Maltby: Child rushed to hospital with head injuries after being mauled by family dog as police issue warning

A child was rushed to hospital with head injuries after being mauled by a dog. Police were called to an address in Maltby, Rotherham on Thursday (May 9) at 6.40pm following reports of a child being bitten by a family pet.

The child was reportedly playing unattended in the garden and following a fall, the dog ran over and began biting her head. The mother of the child, was able to free the girl from the dog and immediately dialled 999.

Dog Legislation Officers attended and the dog, believed to be a Pocket Bully was signed over to police. The child, aged under 10 was taken to hospital with puncture wounds. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Chief Inspector Emma Cheney said: “Please remember all dogs can be aggressive and should never be left unsupervised with children. A dog’s instinct to protect itself is to bite and follow their innate drives.

“Parents should ensure children learn to respect a dog’s space and be encouraged to have boundaries around feeding and resting times. An incident like this is a stark reminder that regardless of a dog’s nature, or previous interactions with children, other dogs and people, dogs can act out of character and cause serious injury and harm.

“Take action now and protect your children.”