United Kingdom: Girl, eight, is scarred for life when she is savaged by neighbour's Japanese Akita as she plays with a friend

UNITED KINGDOM -- An eight-year-old girl was left scarred for life after she had 'her face torn apart' by her neighbor's dog.

Schoolgirl Kelci Lindley needed plastic surgery after she was mauled by Storm the Japanese Akita as she played with a friend at a house in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

Mother Shona said her daughter was petting the dog's head when it turned and attacked, leaving the tip of her nose 'hanging off' her face. 

Owner Amanda Arnott pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control to cause injury and the Akita was put down. 

Ms Lindley, 25, claims that Arnott failed to mention Storm had previously attacked another child when she allowed Kelci to come over and play with her daughter. 

The mother-of-four said: 'It was a big thing for me to allow Kelci to go around to her friend's house in the first place. The friend had been around to our house the week before so I felt bad saying no and I agreed to it.

'But apparently there had been an incident when a young boy has also been bitten on the head by the same dog while he was playing in the street.'

She added: 'Just like any mum, I'd never have let my daughter go round there if I knew there was a vicious dog on the loose.'

Ms Lindley and her partner, Lewis Leggett, 26, found out Kelci had been attacked when Arnott's daughter ran to their house screaming 'the dog's got her face'.

Ms Lindley said she arrived at her neighbour's to find Arnott wiping the blood of Kelci, who had suffered cuts to her eye, lip, nose and hand.

Kelci was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary Hospital were she underwent a five-hour surgery to stitch her wounds and put her nose back in place. 

Specialists have told the family that Kelci will be scarred for life, Ms Lindley claims. 
The family even had to give away their own dog, Blaze, because Kelci was so traumatised by the incident. 

Ms Lindley said: 'Kelci was such an outgoing kid, she loves people and animals, yet she's been left terrified by this, she thought she was going to die.'

Arnott pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control to cause injury at Grimsby Magistrates Court on May 11.

She was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to compensate Kelci £400.

Shona added: 'It also seems completely unfair for her to pretty much get away with it while we live with the consequences. There should be stricter laws about housing dangerous animals - I would do anything for this to have never happened to my girl or any other child.' 

(Daily Mail - Aug 24, 2016)