Trick or treat dog attack horror as girl is bitten on Halloween

UNITED KINGDOM -- A five-year-old Liverpool girl out trick-or-treating with her dad was attacked by a dog owned by a police officer.

Little Chloe Morgan was left with cuts on her back after the alsatian pounced on her from the doorway of a house in Faringdon Close, Hunts Cross.

But Merseyside police told the family no crime had taken place because the incident happened on private property.

Chloe’s dad Dave had taken his two daughters and niece out trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood for Hallowe’en.

 

He said: “When the man opened the door, he had a dog standing next to him and I said ‘hold it back’.

“But the dog had no collar on and the owner’s hand was just lightly resting on the fur on its neck.”

Mr Morgan said the dog then jumped from its owner’s side without warning and pounced on Chloe, who was dressed as a witch.

She immediately turned her face away – but was bitten on her back instead.

Mr Morgan, who said he kicked the dog away from his daughter, then took her to a walk-in medical centre to have her wounds treated.

Today he told the ECHO about his shock at the unprovoked attack.

He said: “When I think what would have happened if she had not turned around – it could have ripped her face off.

“It all happened so quickly. Chloe is absolutely heartbroken. It ruined Hallowe’en for all of us.

“She was dressed up as a little witch and we were going apple-bobbing after but it turned into a complete nightmare.

“We had to keep the girls off school yesterday because they were so upset.

“Chloe was shaking and shuddering all night and she has not stopped crying since.

“The girls are all petrified of dogs now and I do not think they will ever go trick-or-treating again.

“It is such a shame.”

Mr Morgan reported the incident to the police and was told he dog owner was himself a police officer.

He was also told the force would not prosecute because the attack happened on private property.

Mr Morgan said: “It just seems so wrong. The house is right opposite a park and if the dog gets out again it could attack somebody in there.

“I am so thankful I was out with Chloe but it could have been a child on their own.

“Until something even worse happens on public property, the police will not do anything.

“They will not even give the owner a warning – it is terrible.

“I have never seen such a ferocious dog in my life.

“I would have thought a police officer would have had more sense than to open the door with an aggressive dog beside him.

“Any responsible owner would put it in the garden or in another room.”

A police spokesperson said: “We can confirm a report was received on Monday October 31 that a dog had bitten a child in Hunts Cross.

“At about 6.30pm a man was trick-or-treating with his five-year-old daughter when he knocked on the door of a property.

“As the they were speaking to the householder, an alsatian dog in the property approached the front door and bit the girl on her back before the householder managed to secure the animal.”

Police said they were not planning to investigate further.

(Liverpool Echo - Nov 2, 2011)