Irwin Mitchell Welcome Swift Investigation Into Attack

By Suzanne Rutter

Specialist lawyers have called for the Government to implement tougher dog laws after a baby was bitten by a Staffordshire bull terrier – just a month after a 14-year-old girl was tragically killed by a pack of dogs in Wigan.

The 16-month-old boy, who has not yet been named, was attacked at a house in Salisbury Avenue in Bootle, Liverpool, on Tuesday 23 April and was taken to hospital with head injuries.

Police said the attack happened on private property and that no further action would be taken against the owner of the dog, which is due to be humanely destroyed.

The incident also happened just a month after Jade Anderson was killed by five dogs at a friend’s house in Atherton, near Wigan in Greater Manchester.

Katrina Elsey, an expert in dangerous dog attacks at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “This case shows the devastating consequences dog attacks can have on people’s lives. With the number of hospital admissions in relation to dog bites as well as people being sentenced for such attacks on the rise, it is clear that new measures are needed to address this issue and provide better protection to the general public.

“We welcome a swift investigation by police into this latest incident and hope lessons can be learnt so that tragedies like this can be prevented in future.

“We are also eagerly awaiting the results of the Government’s consultation into new measures such as compulsory microchipping for puppies – designed to help in the crackdown on dangerous dogs and the threats they pose to the public – and have long campaigned for ministers to consider the introduction of insurance and licensing that would ensure victims of attacks can get the help they need.

“We want the Government to put a system in place to not only reduce attacks but which also guarantees that people injured in such incidents can get access to the support and rehabilitation they need provided by proper insurance.”