Girl, 11, says XL Bully that attacked her should 'go and die' as she speaks out
An 11-year-old girl attacked by a crazed puppy over the weekend has backed Suella Braverman's calls to ban American Bully XL dogs.
The crossbreed Bully XL/Staffordshire Bull Terrier broke free from its collar and chased the girl - named Ana Paun - biting her shoulder and forearms in Bordesley Green, Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. The youngster has now been discharged from hospital, where she was treated for serious injuries.
Speaking from her home near the scene today, she said: "At the time I just felt panic. I went to the shop with my sister. The dog was staring at me. He jumped on my arm and bit me. It was so scary. I was screaming. He let my arm go and then bit my shoulder. I feel a bit better now. I went with the ambulance.
"I want him [the dog] to go away, to die. I think all of the dogs, the bull dogs, all of them should be banned." Her mum, who wished to remain unnamed, added: "She's fine. She's been to hospital but she's fine, recovering now. I'm thanking to God she is alive."
Ana Paun with her arm bandaged after the attack (Anita Maric / SWNS)
She is now recovering at home (Anita Maric / SWNS)Ana's cousin, Ioan Vantu, 21, lives a few doors away. He said: "She's my relation, she lives down the street. She was going to the shop to buy something and then a guy by the bus stop had a dog and all of a sudden she was scared when she saw the pitbull.
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"She shouted then all of a sudden the dog came over and bit her hand and her shoulder. The ambulance came, the police came. It was a hard day that day. The man and his dog were taken by the police. I went to the hospital with my cousin, she was discharged yesterday.
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"I saw one of the guys that helped her there. He was bitten really bad. He was bitten on his hands, shoulder and legs. Quite bad." Passersby rushed to the girl's aid when the dog escaped its owner a second time, said West Midlands Police, chasing a 20-year-old man across a garage forecourt.
He was taken to hospital with bites to his shoulder and forearm, along with cuts and bruises from being dragged across the floor. Another man suffered injuries and took himself to hospital for treatment. The dog's owner is also in hospital, but it is understood this is not as a result of any injuries sustained in the attack.
The crossbreed Bully XL/Staffordshire Bull Terrier broke free from its collar (SWNS)
CCTV of the attack (SWNS)In an updated statement today, the force said: "The dog was seized by officers and taken to a vet suffering from heat exhaustion. He has now been taken into secure kennels and our dog unit will consider what will happen to it.
"The dog’s owner is currently in hospital and we will be speaking to him in due course. This was an alarming and shocking incident on a busy road in high temperatures and members of the public showed immense courage in tackling such a ferocious dog.
"We are taking statements from the victims and witnesses, and will have increased patrols in the area for anyone who would like to speak to us." The update comes as harrowing new CCTV from the Texaco garage shows how the sustained attack lasted for more than two minutes.
While several people can be seen fleeing the scene, others stayed behind and courageously tried to being the animal under control. The video shows how onlookers tried to hit the snarling mutt with a spade and a broom while one man even tried squirting it with petrol.
The sustained attack lasted for more than two minutes (SWNS)In the aftermath of the attack, Home Secretary Suella Braverman pushed for a ban on American bully XL dogs, saying they are a "clear and lethal danger", particularly to children. The Cabinet minister announced she has commissioned "urgent advice" on outlawing the dogs after she highlighted the "appalling" attack.
However, adding dogs to the banned list is the responsibility of Environment Secretary Therese Coffey's department, where it is understood there are concerns over the feasibility of adding the American Bully. The dog is not a recognised as a specific breed by the Kennel Club. It could be hard to define and a ban could inadvertently outlaw a range of other dogs, some fear.
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Referring to the attack in Birmingham, Ms Braverman wrote: "This is appalling. The American XL Bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children. We can't go on like this. I have commissioned urgent advice on banning them." The advice was commissioned last week, an adviser said.
The dog's owner has been spoken to by police, while the animal is held in a secure kennel. In a statement, West Midlands Police said: "We’re investigating after three people were bitten by a dog in Birmingham. An 11-year-old girl ran past the dog as it was being walked by its owner in Bordesley Green, when she was bitten.
"Two men intervened but were bitten and left with injuries to their shoulders and arms. They were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries. The dog was initially taken to a local vet to be checked over before being taken into secure kennels while the investigation continues. The owner of the dog has been spoken to by officers."
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