Mum Furious as Dog That Savaged Daughter Allowed to Live After Attack
A mother has expressed outrage after her five-year-old daughter, Rosie Dempster, was viciously attacked by a pit bull-type dog, leaving her covered in blood and scarred. The attack occurred on September 11 while Rosie was playing at a friend’s house in northern Glasgow. The out-of-control dog reportedly escaped from the house, charging at Rosie and clamping its jaws on her head as she played on a swing in the garden, reported by the Mirror.
Rosie’s mother, Gillian Dempster, recalled the horrifying moment her daughter was brought home, her face bloodied and bruised. “Rose appeared at the door with her wee pal’s mum, and I almost collapsed at the sight of her. She was covered in blood,” Gillian said. “I went into survival mode, took Rose inside, and phoned an ambulance.” According to Gillian, the dog’s owner initially claimed the dog had simply jumped on Rosie, but her daughter revealed that it had pinned her down and bitten her, leaving her face and body covered in cuts and scratches. “Her ear was hanging by a thread,” Gillian said. “We’re lucky we were heading to the hospital and not the morgue.”
Rosie was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, where she received stitches and medical care. Doctors have warned, however, that she may require reconstructive surgery due to the extent of her injuries. Since the attack, Rosie has been traumatized, suffering nightmares and developing a severe fear of dogs, despite growing up around a family pet, according to the Daily Record.
Gillian is now challenging the authorities’ decision to allow the dog to remain with its owners. She claims police told her their powers to act were limited since this was the dog’s first attack and it happened on private property. “This dog has to be destroyed. It left my daughter scarred for life. Are the police going to wait for it to kill someone?” Gillian questioned. She also voiced concerns for other children in the area, noting that the dog is frequently seen roaming the garden and could escape again at any time.
“I won’t rest until something is done about it,” she vowed, stating she plans to seek legal advice to push for action. Gillian also argued that bulldog breeds like the one involved in the attack should not be kept in family homes. “I love dogs, but I just don’t know why anyone would want to own an animal capable of such aggression. All these dogs should be banned or at least kept away from children,” she said.
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed they received a report of the attack, while Glasgow City Council directed inquiries to the police, noting that serious incidents fall under their investigation under the Dangerous Dogs Act.