Ten-year-old Kieran Mitchell was playing in his garden when he was grabbed by the dog, owned by a downstairs neighbour in the same block of flats.
Kieran needed 17 stitches – but police took the dog away for only one day and gave its owners a warning.
Kieran’s furious mum Hayley, of Castlemilk, Glasgow, said: “Kieran is so terrified he won’t leave the house. The dog is vicious but police said there is nothing they can do.
“When we phoned them on the Sunday, we were told the dog would be destroyed but it was allowed to stay.
“It was then taken away to a police station on the Monday but brought back the next day.
“We were told that a procurator fiscal had decided that a warning would suffice.
“If you look at his injuries, how can if be justified to have Kieran sharing a garden with this animal?
“The dog doesn’t know it’s on a warning and the owners have allowed it to be off the leash loads of times in the past.”
Single mum Hayley, 27, who works at a car sales office, said she has complained to the Ardenglen Housing Association, who said they would wait to see what action was taken by police over the dog.
She said: “You read every few weeks about a child being maimed or even killed by dogs like this. I can’t live here safely while that animal is here, so something has to be done.”
The owner of the six-and-a-half-year-old dog, which is called Khia, defended her pet.
Angela Cunningham, 38, said: “She can be overly friendly but she has never bitten anybody.
“I believe Khia jumped on the boy and her claws caused the lacerations. The report from the council’s dog control team said the boy suffered lacerations, not bite marks.”
Mrs Cunningham said the fiscal’s decision to release Khia was based on statements from neighbours and the vet that she was not aggressive.
As a result of the incident Khia, a rottweiler-alsation cross, must be muzzled when she goes out.
The family pet must also be microchipped and can only be walked by someone who is over 21.
A police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that on Sunday, 1 July, 2012, a 10-year-old boy was bitten by a dog in Castlemilk and was taken to the Victoria Infirmary where he received stitches to his arm.
“The matter was reported to the procurator fiscal and no further action was taken.”
(Scottish Daily Record - August 3, 2012)
