Australia: Young girl mauled by six dogs, including three Mastiffs, a Kelpie and German Shepherd - 'she was a screaming ball of sand and blood'

AUSTRALIA -- Maya Wicksteed was savaged by the three mastiffs and three other dogs, including a german shepherd and a red cloud kelpie, at a Baldivis property last Friday.

She was taken to hospital where she received hundreds of stitches to bite injuries to her head, face and body.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said the three dogs were euthanised at the owner’s request.

Mr Sammels said an investigation into the attack was continuining and no one had been prosecuted.

Maya’s father Bruce Wicksteed told of his horror when he realized his daughter had been attacked, describing her as “a screaming ball of sand and blood”.

Mr Wicksteed was visiting a neighbor with Maya when he heard his daughter screaming.

“The owner of the property was laying down on the ground. Six dogs were aggressively just going for it, trying to get underneath him and then I realized I could hear her screaming, I realized Maya was underneath them,” Mr Wicksteed said.

“Maya was a screaming ball of sand and blood. Police later told me she had been dragged over a 40-metre area.”

In an act that Mr Wicksteed said saved his daughter’s life, his neighbor jumped on top of the dogs and held them down to free Maya.

Then, Mr Wicksteed grabbed her and ran towards the property’s house as the dogs chased them.

“As we got closer to the door, I was just praying that it was unlocked,” he said.

“I got there, the door was unlocked, just as the dogs arrived behind me. I slammed the door on them as they were jumping up.”

Mr Wicksteed said he wanted dog laws changed to include Bull Arab Mastiffs as a classified dangerous dog.

“They are a killing machine. If a dog can’t differentiate between a pig and a little girl, there’s an issue,” he said.

The vicious attack has prompted the WA Local Government Association to urge local councils to develop dog control strategies to prevent future attacks.

WALGA president Troy Pickard said most dog control laws had not been changed for more than 35 years and were outdated.

“I welcome the announcement by the Minister that he intends to introduce a Dog Amendment Bill to the coming session of Parliament,” he said.

“It is encouraging that his proposed amendments will consider prohibiting the availability, breeding and sale of dangerous breeds and sterilization of dangerous breeds along with increased penalties for irresponsible owners and powers for local rangers.

“Revisions to the Dog Act to deal more effectively with vicious dogs have been on the agenda of State Governments for years and it is time to do something about it, before another innocent person or family pet is seriously mauled or killed.”

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Mr Wicksteed choked back tears as he said the property owners saved Maya's life.

"They lay themselves down to protect her and I'm eternally grateful for that - it was an amazing act," he said. "My wife and I are concerned this breed of dog is not more regulated. They're a killing machine and if a dog can't differentiate between a little girl and a pig, there's an issue.

"These dogs, I believe, have to be put down but I would like more awareness on the breed and I would like much tighter controls on how they are managed."

The three Bull Mastiffs, owed by the property owners' son, were surrendered to City of Rockingham rangers. The other three dogs, including a German shepherd and a red cloud kelpie, remained at the property.

Mr Wicksteed said he also had concerns about the number of dogs a person could own because he believed all six had adopted a pack mentality.

The dogs may be destroyed and, under the Dog Act, the owner could be fined $10,000.

(Perth Now - June 7, 2012)