Fears that an eighteen-month-old boy was about to lose two of his limbs following a dog attack appear to be at least premature. The animal, a Staffordshire terrier, has been put down.
The child and his father were attacked by a 4-year-old Staffordshire terrier in Ledegem (West Flanders) on Wednesday. The child is seriously injured and there were fears his father, who was also seriously injured, could lose a thumb as a result of injuries during the attack. Prosecutors had spoken of injuries to the boy requiring the amputation of an arm and a leg, but the local mayor has denied that is the case: no limbs are being amputated today.
The attack happened at the family home. The dog, a Staffordshire terrier, was registered to the mother. It’s unclear why the animal attacked. Mayor Bart Dochy: “The child was with the father in the living room. Staffords are often seen as aggressive animals, but this dog was properly cared for. The animal has been put down by a vet in agreement with the parents’ wishes.