A four-year-old girl was left needing 40 stitches and plastic surgery after an American Bulldog mauled her face in a horrific attack.
Mum Amy Hobson punched and kicked the dog away as it held her daughter Luna-Ann Forsyth on the ground at a friend's home. It was only when she dragged her daughter away from the animal's grip that they managed to escape.
Little Luna was rushed to A&E by taxi after 999 call handlers said it would take several hours for an ambulance to arrive. She was operated on for over two hours, with doctors saying she will be left with permanent scarring following the attack on Thursday, April 6.
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.
"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," 32-year-old 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 calm 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. 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, with the dog having been seized and destroyed.
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."
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