Dog Bites 4-Year-Old In The Face In A Park, Owner Says Sorry And Bolts

A 4-year-old boy has sustained severe injuries on his face after a dog savagely attacked him in a park near Sydney, Australia.

Joey Hodgins was kicking a ball a few meters away from a large dog playing fetch at Coogee Oval in Sydney's east Sunday afternoon. When Joey reached for his ball the dog bit his face. The dog even tried to keep hold of the child but the pet's owner was able to get it away. The kid's face was almost mutilated due to the incident.

The dog sank its teeth into the lips of the boy during the attack and also head-butted him. The 4-year-old's face and clothes were covered in blood. Most of the other wounds sustained by the child are superficial. He is now in stable condition.

Ben Hodgins, Joey's father, first sensed that something was wrong when he heard his son screaming and the dog barking. "The dog was playing with deflated footballs," Ben told 7 News. "Maybe it thought Joey's ball was his ball."

Danni, the boy's mother, added, "Can't help but feel like he is lucky to still have a lip and a nose."

Upon entering the park, the father reportedly noticed a large dog, resembling a pitbull or a Staffordshire bull terrier, about 20 meters away from where Joey was playing. The distance between the two did not make the dog's presence seem like a threat.

But even though the dog was on a leash, it was trailing on the ground and was not held by the owner.

"To his credit, the owner pulled it (the dog) off as soon as it happened," Hodgins explained. "He apologised, (then) bolted from the scene."

The family reported the incident to the police and the local council ranger, who are now looking for the dog's owner. "If push comes to shove, I want it (the dog) in a muzzle, not put down," Hodgins said.

The city council is now reviewing security footage taken in and around the park to find out where the dog owner went, Sydney News Today said in a report.

According to Australia's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, there is no specific evidence that says certain dog breeds are more dangerous than others. "Rather, the responsibility lies purely with the dog owner to ensure that their pet is socialised, trained and treated appropriately," it said.