Dog attack puts Harrison, 7, in hospital
A LEOPOLD schoolboy underwent emergency surgery after he was savagely attacked by an “aggressive labrador” while riding his bike at a suburban park.
Harrison James was at the Leopold reserve on Sunday when he was allegedly knocked off his bike by a black labrador and mauled.
The labrador was yesterday seized by council officers.
Mum Barb James said her seven-year-old son was so badly injured he had to be rushed to the emergency department.
A LEOPOLD schoolboy underwent emergency surgery after he was savagely attacked by an “aggressive labrador” while riding his bike at a suburban park.
Harrison James was cycling at the Leopold reserve on Easter Sunday when he was allegedly knocked off his bike by a black labrador and mauled.
The labrador was yesterday seized by council officers.
Mum Barb James said her seven-year-old son was so badly injured he had to be placed into a stroller and rushed to Geelong’s emergency department for treatment.
Harrison spent Sunday night hooked up to an intravenous drip before going into theatre to have multiple stitches inserted.
“We were just about to leave the park and Harrison hopped on his bike,” Ms James said. “As he rode down (the path) the dog knocked him off the bike.”
Ms James said the dog’s owner pulled back on the leash but the dog lunged at Harrison biting him on the leg and back.
Gruesome pictures of the injuries show multiple puncture wounds on Harrison’s upper thigh.
Ms James said the puncture wound was so severe doctors placed him under general anaesthetic to fully clean and repair the wound.
“He was crying and so was his cousin — a nine-year-oldwho witnessed it,” Ms James said.
“The park was full of people.”
Speaking from his hospital bed Harrison said he was shocked by the attack.
“I was riding my bike and the dog just got up to my bike, knocked me off and then got my leg and my bum,” Harrison said. “There was a deep hole. It was bad and hurt. “I got a shock.” The Belmont Lions junior player was looking forward to playing his first football game next weekend but will now have to wait until he has fully recovered.
Ms James said she was concerned that such an aggressive dog was being walked in an area packed with children and families.
“Imagine if it had been his face,” Ms James said.
City of Greater Geelong spokesman Geoff Russell confirmed the incident was one of two alleged dog attacks being probed by council.
Dr Russell said a dog that allegedly rushed out from a house in Whittington and attacked a woman had also been seized.
That dog and the labrador will both remain in council custody pending further inquiries.
In 2018 the City of Greater Geelong investigated 230 dog attacks compared to 213 the year before.
Aggressive breeds seized in the past two years over alleged dog attacks include Staffordshire terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, bull mastiffs, American bulldogs and bull terriers.
Dog owners can be hit with a $403 fine for a non-serious dog attack and a court determined penalty for a serious dog attack. The fine for an unregistered dog is $322.