AUSTRALIA -- A brave Ipswich dad has told of how he shoved his right hand into an attacking dog's mouth to protect his daughter.
Ken Knebel was walking with his four-year-old German Shepherd, Sina, and pushing seven-month-old daughter Samara in a pram on Saturday when two large guard dogs ran at him.
Only a few metres from the front driveway of his Macalister St home, Mr Knebel was forced to first protect Sina from the attacking dogs - one of which was a German Shepherd and the other he believed to be a German Shepherd cross.
"One of them latched straight onto my foot," Mr Knebel said.
"Then Samara's pram tipped over and she started crying."
Distracted by the baby's crying, the dog that had latched onto Mr Knebel's leg released its grip.
But instead of wandering off it approached young Samara.
"I put my hand in the dog's mouth and started screaming for help," Mr Knebel said.
"It probably all happened really quickly but it seemed like forever to me."
A neighbour who heard the commotion ran out and helped the young dad fight the dogs off.
"I'm just so thankful that it was me out there and not my wife - I'm not sure how she would have reacted to what happened," Mr Knebel said.
"These dogs were scary - they were very aggressive."
Despite the prolonged attack, Mr Knebel required only three stiches to a wound in his lower leg.
He sustained deep puncture wounds to his right hand, which was still badly swollen yesterday.
Ipswich City Council animal control officers have seized the dogs involved, which they said were unregistered and trained as guard dogs.
Health and Regulation Committee chairman Andrew Antoniolli said council investigations were continuing.
"The dogs will be held pending the results of that investigation," Cr Antoniolli said.
Council was yet to determine whether or not charges would be laid against the owner of the dogs.
(Queensland Times - Dec 20, 2011)
