Police have issued a major update after an XL Bully mauled a baby girl in Kent.
The youngster, aged just eight months old, remains in a serious condition following the dog attack in Hawkinge, near Folkestone, Kent, on Wednesday.
Kent Police said in an update issued on Friday that an 18-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman, who were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, have been bailed.
The incident occurred on Siskin Close, with police arriving at 2.23pm on Wednesday following reports of the attack believed to have been carried out by an XL Bully.
The young girl was swiftly airlifted to a London hostpital after ambulance crews assessed the situation.
Since February of this year, it has been illegal to own an XL Bully in England and Wales unless it has an exemption certificate. The dog must also be neutered, microchipped, and muzzled in public.
Currently, it is unclear if the dog involved in this attack complied with the regulations as the investigation is ongoing, but it has been put down.
It has also emerged that police asked to put down the very same dog last year. Officers seized the animal from Siskin Close in November 2023 after it bit its owner’s finger.
A police statement read: « Kent Police seized an XL Bully dog from Siskin Close in Hawkinge in November 2023 following a report that its owner had been bitten on the finger which caused minor injury.
« The owner was asked to voluntarily surrender the dog to officers for destruction, but declined to do so. There were no legal grounds for officers to retain the dog in the circumstances, but the owner was asked to agree to accept the conditions of a police order, which included keeping the dog secure and supervised. »
A spokesperson previously said: « Kent Police was called at 2:23pm on Wednesday to a report that an infant had been bitten by a dog inside a property on Siskin Close, Hawkinge near Folkestone.
« Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and an eight month old girl was airlifted to a London hospital where she remains in a serious condition.
« The dog was seized and destroyed. An 18-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. They remain in custody while enquiries continue. »
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