Toddler Icy Thomas-Day had her eyelid bitten off by her neighbour’s pet when she tried to hand it a dog chew.
Her mum and dad are angry that the police cannot order the West Highland White Terrier to be destroyed.
They said their neighbours have told officers that they are not prepared to have it put down.
Mum Jessica described the attack as ‘the worst moment of my life’.
She said: “It was just so quick. The dog made this noise and jumped over the dog treat at her face and scratched at her six or seven times and bit her. Then my little girl was screaming horrifically.”
The family were in their neighbour’s garden to celebrate the dog’s third birthday.
Police said they do not have powers to order the dog to be put down because the attack happened in its owner’s garden.
Mrs Thomas-Day, 31, added: “It’s disgraceful.
“Dogs have more rights than humans.”
She said the family had been around the dog before and prior to the attack. Her daughter had thrown a ball for it that they had brought with them as a birthday present.
Icy was taken by ambulance to Dorset County Hospital and her father Paul then drove her to Poole Hospital where she endured two-and-a-half hours in theatre having stitches put in.
In two weeks Icy will return to hospital to have her stitches looked at and to check if the eye has been damaged.
The dog breed is not considered dangerous but Mr Thomas-Day, 41, wants to warn other parents that any breed of dog can attack.
He said: “It’s horrendous.
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| 'A chunk of her left eyelid had been ripped off. It won't grow back again and she will have no eyelashes on that eye.' |
“People need to be made aware if you go on to someone’s property and they have a dog it is at your own risk.
“There’s nothing you can do about it and it can be any dog. Cute little dogs are as bad as the big ones.”
Icy’s brothers Jet, eight, and Tai, 11, were also stunned at seeing their sister attacked.
Tai said: “I’m worried about my little brother and Icy as she was having nightmares at hospital.”
It is understood that the dog owners are not following police advice to have the dog destroyed.
The dog’s owners were not at their holiday home in Portesham where the attacked occurred.
(Dorset Echo - July 28, 2011)
