Baby seriously injured in dog attack by family’s own pet

A ten-month-old baby has been left needing surgery after he was attacked by a normally “loving and affectionate” family dog.

The Cane Corso X is said to have shown no previous signs of aggression before biting the boy as he started to cry in his Barnsley home on Tuesday morning. The baby remains in hospital in a stable but serious condition.

Police said the attack was out of character for the dog, who has no previous history of aggression, with the owner describing him as being “pleasant” and “affectionate” with children.

Dog Legislation Officer PC Paul Jameson said: “We were called at 7.42am this morning to a property in Hoyland, following a young child being attacked and bitten by a family dog.

“Our early enquiries with the family highlighted that the dog was not previously reported to be of an aggressive nature, and this was a family who took precautions and are responsible owners.

“An incident like this is a stark reminder that regardless of a dog’s nature, or previous interactions with children, other dogs and people, they are animals and their innate instinct to protect themselves which can result in serious injuries and sometimes fatality.”

Do you know the victim or have been affected by the incident? Contact Barney.Davis.Ind@Independent.co.uk.

The family said recently the dog had become stressed by fireworks being set off in the local area.

“If you know your dog does not accept people knocking at the door, put up a sign ahead of Halloween to stop people knocking,” PC Jameson continued.

“If your dog becomes unsettled when fireworks are set off, walk your dog in daylight hours, close the windows and draw your curtains to help muffle the sound and put the radio or TV on.

“Leave toys in the area your dog associates with feeling calm and safe. If you’re hosting a celebration, follow the tips on our leaflet to keep everyone in your home safe.”

A Cane Corso is a breed of mastiff descended from Molossian war dogs of ancient Rome.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Cane Corso’s protective nature may have inspired its name, which can be translated from Latin as “bodyguard dog” or “guard dog of the courtyard.”

The incident is the latest in a string of dog attacks - some of them fatal - to have taken place across the country in recent weeks. XL Bully dogs have been involved in a significant number of them.

It came after a five-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a suspected Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Ashington on Sunday.

The child is currently being treated in hospital for serious but non-life threatening injuries, police said

Officers believed the dog involved was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which was seized by police to “protect the public”.

Just one week ago, a school was forced to evacuate in Norfolk after a 60-year-old woman was mauled by her pet XL Bully at her home, before it escaped from the back garden.

In September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the dogs were to be banned by the end of the year following a spate of horrific attacks.

For more information about dog safety, please visit Blue Cross Charity website.