AUSTRALIA -- A six-year-old Ripley girl is recovering in hospital after being mauled on the face by a pet dog.
The child was bitten on both cheeks, the front of her face, and also sustained a 5cm laceration to her right temple.
A Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said the attack happened about 12:30pm in a backyard on Michaels St in Ripley, near Ipswich.
The girl was taken to the Mater Children's Hospital in Brisbane in a stable condition.
The Ipswich City Council's Health and Regulation committee chairman, Andrew Antoniolli, said it was not yet known why the cattle dog cross, which was registered, attacked the child.
"Our information is very scant at the moment as we are having difficulties talking with the parents," he said.
"But they still have a child in hospital and if I was them, I'd be more interested in how my child was doing first."
Mr Antoniolli said although no formal complaint about the dog attack had been filed, the council was obliged to investigate under the animal management act, which would determine whether the dog should be declared dangerous from a public safety point of view.
Mr Antoniolli said it was the second similar dog attack in two weeks in the Ipswich area by two unrelated dogs.
He said both attacks were a reminder for parents to be vigilant and to supervise children with pets.
"Never take your eyes off the children with the dog," he said.
