A 14-month-old girl has died after being attacked by the family dog at her home this morning.
The toddler was in the kitchen with her mother when the family pet, a German wirehaired pointer, attacked. It’s believed the dog mauled the small child in the face.
Paramedics rushed to the house in Neerim Junction, in Gippspland, early this morning, but the toddler could not be saved. It is not known why the dog attacked the little girl.
Mum couldn’t stop the attack
“Mum tried to intervene and couldn’t do anything,” Channel Seven reporter Michael Scanlan told 3AW.
The family recently moved to the area for a “tree-change” and have two older children. German wirehaired pointers are not known to be aggressive dogs.
An air ambulance arrived at the house, but the little girl died before she could be airlifted to hospital.
“As you can imagine it’s quite an emotionally charged scene,” a Victoria Police spokesperson told reporters.
‘A very awful incident’
Officers from Baw Baw Shire Council have seized the dog and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
“We know that Neerim Junction is a very close community and it is a very awful incident that has occurred,” council regulatory services manager Tony Pinelli told ABC News.
“Council’s job is to secure the dog, and work closely with the police to determine what action should be taken from this point forward, but our hearts and minds are very much with the affected family and the community.”
Second Australian toddler dies after dog attack
The tragedy comes only five months after a rottweiler mauled one-year-old Kamillah Jones to death in NSW as her mum walked the toddler in a pram.
Do you have a family pet? Please, take another look at our article about how to keep children safe around dogs.
