26-05-2025
Parents' horror as their six-year-old girl is mauled by an American staffy in a public park and almost SCALPED
A six-year-old girl has undergone emergency surgery after she suffered horrific injuries during a frightening and unprovoked dog attack.
The harrowing ordeal unfolded while Margot McNicol and her family were at Nairne's newest off-leash dog park Woofside Road Dog Park, in the Adelaide Hills on Sunday.
Margot was playing with her puppy when an American Staffy leapt up and latched onto her head.
It took four adults to free the dog from the little girl.
'She screamed, I ran over, and I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,' her mum Christina told Seven News.
'I stabilised my daughter's head and her hair so it couldn't keep pulling because I was really worried it would scalp her.'
Margot was rushed to hospital with several puncture wounds to her head, along with scratches and bruising. She remains in hospital.
Her injuries could have been a lot worse had another part of her head been attacked, according to her dad Braeden.
'It could have been a completely different story,' Mr McNichol said.
Adding insult to injury, the McNicols claim the dog owner fled the park afterwards without apologising to Margot or the family.
Mount Barker District Council is investigating the attack.
The owner could face a fine of more than $300 and the Staffy could be euthanised.
The extent of the punishment will depend on the severity of the attack and if the dog was already deemed a dangerous animal.
'If that is what is the safest (euthanasia), I think that is what should happen,' Ms McNicol said.
'The owner should know better, and I hope this is a lesson to them.'
It's the same dog breed that mauled a five-week old baby boy to death as his parents slept at a NSW Central Coast home in 2021.
A recent inquest into the baby's death heard that the breed had the highest incidence of attacks in local government data from 2018-2021.
American Staffordshire Terriers are 'muscular, energetic medium-size dogs', according to Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance.
While most of the breed's aggression has been 'bred out', they should always be supervised during play time.
'Being a strong, powerful breed, firm and consistent training is essential to ensure your American Staffy will obey your commands and behave respectably,' the company states.
'Intense socialisation from an early age is also very important in order to curb potential aggression towards both humans and other dogs.
'If not well trained, behavioural problems can develop and the Amstaff can become difficult to handle.'
Woofside Road Dog Park opened in February.
The area is a fully fenced, unleashed dog park with activity zones, shelter, seating, a footpath loop, water bubbler and dog water bowl.
