logo
Mother of two toddlers attacked by the family American bulldog praises her neighbours for saving children's lives

Mother of two toddlers attacked by the family American bulldog praises her neighbours for saving children's lives

Daily Mail​03-05-2025
The mother of two toddlers who were viciously mauled by the family bulldog said she is thankful to her neighbours for saving their lives.
The two-year-old and three-year-old boys were playing in the sunshine on Thursday when their pet dog, Oakley, attacked them.
The mother, who chose to remain anonymous said their six-month-old American bulldog never showed signs of aggression before the ambush in Prescot, Merseyside.
But both boys were taken to hospital with puncture wounds and lacerations in their arms and legs, the Mirror reported.
The puppy, who had been with the family since it was eight or nine weeks old, initially targeted the older of the siblings.
Once the dog was prised off its first target, it immediately pounced on the younger child.
One neighbour described the traumatic attack, 'I heard screaming and saw this little boy coming down the path,' they said.
'His left had been chewed to pieces. I grabbed him and cradled him while I called an ambulance.'
The mother explained if a neighbour hadn't intervened, she 'might not have a son.'
She added: 'We are not coping. Not only are we dealing with the two kids, we are also grieving for the family dog.
'They are still the same kids, they are still their same cheeky selves.
'You wouldn't know anything had happened, but of course it had.'
The toddlers are expected to make a full recovery.
Chief Inspector Phil Thomson said: 'the dog has been seized at home.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ice-cream toting guards escort JD Vance to UK's poshest farm shop
Ice-cream toting guards escort JD Vance to UK's poshest farm shop

Times

time6 hours ago

  • Times

Ice-cream toting guards escort JD Vance to UK's poshest farm shop

The man in the dark suit with an earpiece in the middle of a meadow was what gave it away. Quiet country lanes and rolling farmland are not the natural habitat of the Secret Service. So when they descended on Daylesford Organic, Britain's poshest farm shop, visitors suspected someone important might be about to make an appearance. JD Vance, the American vice-president, and his family were to visit for lunch as they continue their summer holiday in the Cotswolds. 'This morning there were two guys walking the perimeter of the meadow in a black suit and tie,' said one member of the gym that is attached to the farm shop, having spotted them out of the window during a fitness class. 'There are gardeners in the meadow sometimes but not a man in a suit and tie, I have never seen that before, so I knew it must be for the vice-president. It's not really very secret when they are dressed like that.'

XL bully ban 'is failing' as attacks still rife despite hundreds of dogs put down
XL bully ban 'is failing' as attacks still rife despite hundreds of dogs put down

Daily Mirror

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

XL bully ban 'is failing' as attacks still rife despite hundreds of dogs put down

The RSPCA has released new data from police forces across the UK as it calls on the government to overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act with a more modern approach The XL bully ban is "failing" with fatal and severe attacks persisting - despite authorities having seized thousands of suspected banned dogs, the RSPCA has warned. ‌ Hundreds of dogs have been euthanised under the ban, according to new data obtained from UK police forces by the charity. But almost two years on, attacks are still rife with another 12 people killed by dogs to date, including a 10-year-old girl. Seven-month-old Elle Doherty was killed by her family's Belgian Malinois pet after it bit her on the head in Coventry in June last year. ‌ But of those 12, eight were killed by XL bullies, and another three were mauled to death by bull breeds, including pit bulls and bullmastiffs. And three more horrific attacks were reported across the country last week alone. It comes after a boy, 5, is murdered by kidnappers because his mum couldn't pay £39 ransom. ‌ A seven-year-old boy was left needing surgery after being attacked by his family's XL bully in Doncaster, South Yorks, while neighbours in Fleetwood, Lancs had to fight off an XL bully with a machete after it mauled a woman in her 40s. In Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, a man was forced to jump over a fence and into a river to escape the jaws of another XL bully, police said. ‌ The ban, which began at the end of 2023 following a Mirror campaign, forced XL bully owners to register their dog for an exemption certificate and to muzzle them in public places. The new law also made it illegal to breed, sell, advertise or give away an XL bully. Now the RSPCA is calling on ministers to conduct a 'full and in-depth' review of the Dangerous Dogs Act, which was first passed 34 years ago this August. Under the Act, a dog can be seized if it is a prohibited type - namely an XL bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino or Fila Brasileiro. The charity is urging the Government to 'prioritise an approach that encourages responsible dog ownership', adding that individual breed bans do not work. RSPCA data shows 1,035 dogs were seized as suspected banned types during 2024. But the charity said the true figures will be much higher, with only 19 of the 43 police forces across the UK having responded to its request for information. ‌ Of those seized last year more than 65 percent (674) were assessed and identified as XL bullies. The five police forces reporting the highest number of seized dogs were Leicestershire (192 dogs, including 177 XL bullies), Nottinghamshire (145, including 132 XL bullies), Thames Valley (134), Humberside (99) and Lincolnshire (52). Only seven police forces reported euthanasia figures - but this found 511 banned dogs had been put to sleep, including 316 in South Yorkshire. Further research from the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes shows its members had to put 693 dogs to sleep in 2024 as a result of the legislation - more than triple the 2023 figure (201), and more than eight times the number in 2022 (80). Dr Samantha Gaines, Head of Companion Animals at the RSPCA, said: "This data paints a predictable and depressing picture - with the change in legislation meaning high numbers of XL bully dogs are being seized and put to sleep. It is absolutely heartbreaking that dog fatalities and serious bite incidents are continuing and in very concerning numbers - which underlines that the Dangerous Dog Act simply isn't working, and hasn't been for 34 years. "The UK Government urgently needs to adopt a different approach; focussed instead on preventing dangerous behaviours rather than focussing on the dog's individual breed. The law has been failing dogs and, crucially, public safety too for long. It's time for decision makers to review the current dog control situation and commit to measures which effectively protect public safety and safeguard dog welfare."

Trump to put capital's police under federal control and bring in National Guard
Trump to put capital's police under federal control and bring in National Guard

Rhyl Journal

time8 hours ago

  • Rhyl Journal

Trump to put capital's police under federal control and bring in National Guard

Mr Trump has promised new steps to tackle homelessness and crime in Washington, prompting the city's mayor to voice concerns about the potential use of the National Guard to patrol the streets. Ahead of a news conference, Mr Trump said on social media that the nation's capital would be 'Liberated today!' He said he would end the 'days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people'. For Mr Trump, the effort to take over public safety in Washington reflects a next step in his law enforcement agenda after his aggressive push to stop illegal border crossings. But the move involves at least 500 federal law enforcement officials, raising fundamental questions about how an increasingly emboldened federal government will interact with its state and local counterparts. More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal law enforcement personnel being assigned to patrols in Washington, a person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are also contributing officers. The person was not authorised to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department did not immediately have a comment on Monday morning. Mr Trump said he is invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to deploy members of the National Guard. He compared crime in the American capital with that in other major cities, saying Washington performs poorly on safety relative to the capitals of Iraq, Brazil and Colombia, among others. Mr Trump also said at his news briefing that his administration has started removing homeless encampments 'from all over our parks, our beautiful, beautiful parks'. 'We're getting rid of the slums, too,' he said, adding that the US would not lose its cities and that Washington was just a start. US Attorney General Pam Bondi will be taking over responsibility for Washington's metro police department, he said, while also complaining about potholes and graffiti in the city and calling them 'embarrassing'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store