Two people have been arrested after an eight-month-old baby was severely injured by a dog in Kent.
Police responded to the incident at Siskin Close in Hawkinge, near Folkestone, at around 14:25 GMT on Wednesday. They received reports that a baby had been bitten by a dog, believed to be an XL Bully.
The baby girl was airlifted to a London hospital, where she remains in a serious condition, according to police.
A 76-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. The dog involved in the attack was seized and destroyed at the family home.
One family member told the BBC that the dog, named Hunter, had never shown aggression before and described the attack as completely unexpected. “For the dog to do what he did, for me, was totally out of the blue,” they said. Another relative said the baby and the dog had always been close, describing them as “like two peas in a pod.”
The baby’s mother is said to be “devastated” by the incident. One family member expressed their shock, saying, “It is shocking. You hear about these things happening, but you never think it will happen to your own family.”
Police have stated that officers will remain in the area to conduct further inquiries and offer reassurance to the local community.
In November 2023, Kent Police had previously seized an XL Bully from the same address after its owner was bitten on the finger, causing a minor injury. The force revealed that the dog’s owner was asked to voluntarily surrender the animal for destruction, but refused. As there were no legal grounds to retain the dog at that time, the owner was instead given a police order to keep the dog secure and supervised.
Following the attack on Wednesday, the dog was seized again and destroyed.
Since February 1, it has been a criminal offense to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate. Owners of such dogs must have them neutered, microchipped, and kept muzzled and on a lead in public, among other requirements.
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