The cameraphone has caught the exact moment raging canine Digby turned and sank his teeth into the terrified youngster's face.
Digby can be seen with his mouth open leaning in towards the child, who cannot be named, just a split-second before burying his teeth into the 11-year-old's cheek.
The child was left screaming in agony after the dog, a Husky - German Shepherd - Bull Mastiff mix which had attacked another youngster previously, bit his face on January 9.
After the attack, the child was raced to hospital where he was left needing 21 stitches and numerous follow-up trips to see medics.
Last week Digby's owner, Stuart Harris, 45, pleaded guilty to having a dog dangerously out of control at Chelmsford magistrates' court in Essex.
Magistrates heard that he had attacked another child before and ordered that him to be put down.
A petition appealing the order has attracted more than 1,400 signatures after with many supporters claiming the animal was provoked.
The parents of the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, angrily hit back, saying: "It has already been a traumatic experience for my son but now this has become public on the internet and social media, we are having to re-live this nightmare all over again.
"To make matters worse, there have been vile comments made by people who have not even read the court report. The dog was comfortable in the presence of my son as he had been invited over to the Harris house on many occasions.
"Contradictory to some comments made, my son did not poke his phone in the dog's face, put his arm around him or put his face right into the dog's - it attacked without warning."
The boy was friends with the Harris' son and the pair had planned on going swimming when they visited Harris' house in Chelmsford on the day.
He was sitting on the sofa when Digby jumped up and sat next to him. Digby then attacked him while he was trying to take the photo.
Since the attack at Harris' house the boy is terrified of dogs, especially bigger ones. He had to have a week off school following the attack and is very self-conscious about his scars.
Speaking to the court last week his mother said: "He now has a great fear of dogs, especially bigger dogs, which he never had before. We have to cross the road now if we see one coming.
"If he goes round friend's houses who have dogs they have to be put in cages because his friends know he has a fear of them.
"He's very self-conscious of the scar on his face and when people ask about it he feels very awkward and embarrassed. He doesn't want his photo taken unless you can't see the scar."
Harris is appealing against the destruction order for the dog, and has 21 days to put a case together to go back before magistrates.
Blasting Harris' lack of remorse the family added: "I have only just received a text from Mrs Harris apologising for what happened and for the awful comments made on social media.
"As parents and because of the seriousness of my son's injuries, we felt it our duty to report the attack. We would not have been able to forgive ourselves if this happened again to another child.
"Our son's injuries were horrific enough and an attack like this on a younger child could prove fatal. No other family should have to be put through this traumatic and devastating ordeal."
Magistrates also handed Harris 200 hours of community work, and was ordered to pay the victim £5,000, as well as £170 to the courts.
(Daily Record - July 14, 2016)
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