An XL Bully dog has been seized and destroyed after a 20-month-old boy was injured in a dog attack in Greenwich on Monday morning.
The attack happened outside the Hilton hotel on Catherine Grove in Greenwich shortly after 10am.
Police said the 20-month-old boy was taken to hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing.
A man, aged 30, has been charged with allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control.
Posting about the incident online, a witness described the dog as being like “a large American Bully type breed”.
“Thanks again to all who helped. Not trying to scaremonger but do take care if you see those dogs - especially those with children,” the witness said.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “The boy’s injuries have been treated at hospital.
“They are not life changing or threatening, fortunately. We wish the victim all the best with his recovery and thoughts with his family.”
Concern about dangerous dogs has intensified after a number of high-profile incidents, including an attack on a schoolgirl in Birmingham last month.
According to reports, the number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years, with nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury last year.
However, over the same timeframe, the UK’s dog population is only estimated to have risen by 15 per cent.
In response to calls by campaigners, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to bring forward legislation to define and then ban the American Bully XL dog after a spate of attacks.
Those favouring the ban say the breed, which can weigh as much as a human adult, is more likely to be behind aggressive attacks than other dogs.
But some animal rights groups have opposed the ban, saying that breed-specific bans do not keep the public safe, and measures to promote responsible pet ownership are needed instead.
