A mother has warned parents never to leave their children alone with their pets unattended after her one-year-old daughter was scarred by a family dog.

No matter how sweet the pet... you can’t predict its behaviour

The baby girl was at her grandparents’ home last Sunday when she was attacked by the dog, a cross-breed between a pit bull and a hunting dog (tal-kaċċa).

She suffered grievious facial injuries and significant scarring but should make a full recovery.

“Not in a hundred years would I have expected something like this to happen,” said the mother”, who asked not to be named.

The dog’s been in the family for years and was never aggressive. My daughter used to play with her all the time.”

Expressing relief that her daughter was not more seriously hurt, she added: “If nothing else, perhaps this can serve as a warning to other parents. No matter how sweet the pet, a dog is an animal and you can’t predict its behaviour.”

Her warning was echoed by Dogs Trust campaigns manager Sarah De Cesare.

Expressing her dismay at the attack, Ms De Cesare said: “We advise pet-owners to never leave dogs alone with children, no matter how friendly the dog is with people. We also advise parents keep their children well away from the dog’s food bowl, bed and toys.”

Initial reports attributed the attack to a pit bull but the mother confirmed it was in fact a cross breed.

Maltese legislation prohibits the importation of four dog breeds, including the American pit bull terrier.

Sunday’s incident will raise concerns about dog breeds which are considered to be “dangerous” but dog experts insist the perception of certain breeds being overly aggressive is a myth.

“No dog is born aggressive,” dog trainer Robert Spiteri said. “They either turn out that way because of bad experiences or else they are made to be aggressive through selective breeding.”

Animal welfare officer Janice Chetcuti spoke in similar terms. “Poodles are just as likely to bite you as pit bulls or Rottweilers. One is not more likely to be aggressive than the other.”

Some countries have introduced breed-specific legislation, making it obligatory for owners to leash and muzzle certain breeds when out in public. Proposals in the UK also seek to make muzzling obligatory for certain breeds in households. But according to the three experts, pet education is more effective in controlling aggressive behaviour than breed-specific legislation.

Stressing that she was speaking in general terms and not of Sunday’s incident, Ms Chetcuti said: “Before owning a dog, owners need to educate themselves as to what owning different breeds entails.

“Many people get dogs without taking their character or lifestyle into account.”

“Legislation needs to deal with aggressive dogs based on the actions of a dog rather than its breed,” Ms De Cesare said.

She suggested introducing “a more effective anti-social behaviour control system” which monitored owners of dogs with a history of aggressive behaviour, whatever the breed of dog.

It would be helpful, Mr Spiteri said, if dog owners were required to complete a basic pet ownership training course before being allowed to own a pet.

But although Ms Chetcuti agreed, describing such a requirement as “a utopia”, Ms De Cesare was somewhat more reticent, saying that a licensing scheme would make dog ownership harder for the financially disadvantaged and simply encourage owners who mistreated their pets from registering them.

The mother of the mauled child, meanwhile, sighed with relief at what could have been.

“I’ve heard of dogs abroad killing children. My daughter is a toddler and God willing the scars will fade as she grows older. All I want is for parents to know that it only takes a second for a dog to attack. It could have been so much worse.”

Not man’s best friend

A 1998 legal notice forbids the importation of four dog breeds – pit bull terriers, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero.

Some countries and US states have enacted breed-specific legislation, essentially prohibiting or restricting the ownership of certain dog breeds which they consider to be “dangerous” or “vicious”.

In some countries, owners of such dogs are required to muzzle and leash their pets when in public spaces.

A 2000 report published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association analysed US-based deaths caused by dog bites between 1979 and 1979 and 1998.

It found that although around 50 per cent of dog-bite related deaths were attributed to pit bulls and Rottweilers, “fatal attacks represent a small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and, therefore, should not be the primary factor driving public policy concerning dangerous dogs”.

What is it that makes a dog bite?

• Male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than females.
• Sexually intact dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs.
• Chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite than unchained dogs.

Source: Gershman & Sacks, Which dogs bite? A case-control study of risk factors (1994)

Reality postmen face every single day

Getting attacked by a vicious dog is many people’s worst nightmare, but for some postal workers, it is a reality they face every single day.

“We get numerous incidents of dogs attacking our postal workers and there have been occasions when police reports have been filed.

“Some of our workers have had to receive medical attention following dog attacks,” a spokesman said.

In some cases, dogs lie in wait for postal workers right behind the letterbox, ready to pounce the moment a hand reaches in to deliver the post.

“As Maltapost, we would like to see some form of legislation or regulation which would protect our workers from all domestic animals,” the spokesman ­concluded.