11 April 2023 , 13:02
659
0
This is the American Bulldog that tore apart the face of a four-year-old girl, the Mirror can reveal.
Little Luna-Ann Forsyth was left needing plastic surgery and 40 stitches in her face after being attacked by dog Junior.
She will be left with permanent scarring and her injuries could take 12 months to heal.
Estimated to be around four, the large pet belongs to a friend of the girl's mum Amy Hobson, who lives nearby in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Police initially said the dog had been seized and destroyed following the incident last Thursday afternoon.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
However after conflicting reports on Facebook, a force spokeswoman confirmed today the dog remains in police custody.
She said: "No arrests at this time. Investigations are ongoing and the dog has been seized.
Luna-Ann needed 40 stitches and a two-hour operation (Amy Hobson)
The little girl spent two days in hospital (Amy Hobson)"We can’t comment any further as this will impact our ongoing enquiries."
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror yesterday, full-time mum Amy, 32, backed our campaign to Tame the Danger Dogs.
She said she had gone to her friend's home with Luna-Ann and son Darren after a shopping trip.
Amy claimed Junior was locked away upstairs but thinks he managed to open the door and come bounding down to where the children were.
She said: "The dog came up to me so I gave him a fuss like I always have done, my daughter Luna shouted the dog's name so she could fuss him just like she always has done.
Luna-Ann has been left with permanent scarring (Amy Hobson)"He got hold of her face and got her to the ground.
"I was kicking and punching the dog to get him off her and I got my little girl off the floor, and called 999 straight away.
"They said they couldn’t get an ambulance out to me, it was going to be a few hours for them to get to me, so I got a taxi to A&E."
Disabled woman paralysed after falling from wheelchair on plane walkway dies
She added: "There was loads of blood. Luna was calm and brave, it was me that was panicking and crying."
The brave girl remained calm during the attack (Amy Hobson)
Mum Amy Hobson with Luna-Ann (Amy Hobson)She was initially taken to George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton before being transferred to University Hospital Coventry.
Luna-Ann was able to go home on Saturday evening.
Amy said: "Even after everything, she is still smiling."
Police confirmed on Sunday an investigation had been launched.
Luna before the attack (Amy Hobson)
Luna-Ann was able to come home on Saturday (Amy Hobson)Yesterday there was confusion over the fate of the dog. Initial police reports suggested it had been destroyed but a post on social media from Nuneaton and Bedworth Police said it was being "assessed".
A Nuneaton and Bedworth police spokesperson said previously: "We’re investigating an incident in which a child was bitten by a dog in the Camp Hill area of Nuneaton on Thursday evening 6 April)
"The incident took place inside a property. The child sustained facial injuries, which required hospital treatment.
"The dog has been seized and destroyed. Enquiries are ongoing."