A five-year-old boy who was mauled by a 'pocket bully' has been told by the dog's owner that the attack was his fault. The incident left Antonio Quinn, four at the time, requiring a three-hour operation to stitch his face back together after sustaining wounds to his chin, cheeks and thigh.
Owner Aaron Eccles insisted his dog, named Harry, was acting to defend his home. 'Dogs don't differentiate between an adult and a child when responding to who they think is a burglar,' he said, claiming the animal had given a 'warning bite' before the attack.
The boy's mother, Amanda Holmes, 34, described the scene as 'like something out of a horror film' and said her son was lucky to be alive. The attack occurred in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, when Antonio was going inside to get a drink after playing with Eccles' partner's son. A neighbour intervened to stop the incident escalating.
Police seized Harry and a Staffordshire bull terrier from the property. Eccles accused officers of antagonising his dog with pepper spray, and said he declined an offer to have the pets euthanised. The dogs are now awaiting assessment to determine whether they can be returned.
Police are appealing for CCTV footage and anyone with information to contact them on 101 quoting log 0603 of May 26. The child was taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and is recovering well, according to his mother.
