Two held as baby hurt in suspected XL bully attack

Two people have been arrested after an eight-month-old baby was seriously injured by a dog in Kent.

Police were called to Siskin Close in Hawkinge, near Folkestone, at about 14:25 GMT on Wednesday following a report that an infant had been bitten by a dog, reportedly an XL bully.

The baby girl was airlifted to a London hospital where she remains in a serious condition, police said.

A 76-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

The dog was seized and destroyed at the family home.

One family member told the BBC the dog, named Hunter, had never shown any form of aggression and that the attack was out of character.

"For the dog to do what he did, for me, was totally out of the blue," he said.

Another family member said the baby and the dog were "like two peas in a pod".

She added that the mother of the injured baby was "devastated".

"It is shocking. You see and hear about it all the time, but you don't actually think it is going to happen to your own family," she said.

Police said officers would remain in the area while inquiries were carried out and to provide reassurance to the local community.

In November 2023, Kent Police seized an XL Bully from Siskin Close following a report that its owner had been bitten on the finger, which caused a minor injury, the force has revealed.

A police spokesperson said: "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."

The dog was seized and subsequently destroyed following the attack on the child on Wednesday.

Since 1 February, it has been a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

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