A mum has told how she had to punch and kick an American Bulldog away from her four-year-old daughter after it mauled her face in a bloody attack.
Amy Hobson, 32, dragged little Luna-Ann Forsyth away from the animal's grips as it held her on the ground at a friend's home.
The child then had to be taken to A&E by taxi after 999 call handlers said it would take several hours for an ambulance to arrive.
Luna-Ann required plastic surgery and 40 stitches on her face following the incident last Thursday (April 6) afternoon.
She was operated on for over two hours and doctors said she will be left with permanent scarring.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Amy said she has since fallen out with the dog owner after they allegedly hid the dog and refused to give it up to police for over 24 hours.
Amy, who shared the photos to raise awareness, said she, her friend, Luna-Ann and her brother Darren had just been shopping and arrived back at the pal's home in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, around 3pm.
The dog was closed off in a room upstairs but managed to open the door and came bounding down, she said.
"The dog came up to me so I gave him a fuss like I always have done, my daughter Luna shouted the dog's name so she could fuss him just like she always has done," full-time mum Amy said.
"He got hold of her face and got her to the ground.
"I was kicking and punching the dog to get him off her and I got my little girl off the floor, and called 999 straight away.
"They said they couldn’t get an ambulance out to me, it was going to be a few hours for them to get to me, so I got a taxi to A&E."
She added: "There was loads of blood. Luna was caim and brave, it was me that was panicking and crying."
Amy said she lives with her family on the same street in Camp Hill as where the attack happened.
Referring to the dog owner, she said: "We are no longer friends as after the attack happened she hid the dog from the police for over 24 hours."
She believes the dog was around four.
Luna-Ann was able to go home on Saturday evening.
She was initially taken to George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton before being transferred to University Hospital Coventry.
Amy said: "Even after everything, she is still smiling."
Doctors said the cuts will take around 12 months to heal.
Police confirmed yesterday an investigation has been launched. Tonight there was confusion over the fate of the dog. Initial police reports suggested it had been destroyed but a post on social media from Nuneaton and Bedworth Police said it was being "assessed".
A Nuneaton and Bedworth police spokesperson said: "We’re investigating an incident in which a child was bitten by a dog in the Camp Hill area of Nuneaton on Thursday evening 6 April)
"The incident took place inside a property. The child sustained facial injuries, which required hospital treatment.
"The dog has been seized and destroyed. Enquiries are ongoing."
