Toddler Alaruh attacked by family dog at Osborne ‘recovering in hospital’, father says, as pet’s fate remains in limbo
Little Alaruh has had surgery after being mauled by the family dog – but the animal’s fate remains undecided. Picture: 9 News
North & North East
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A two-year-old girl remains in hospital after undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in a dog attack at Osborne – but the animal’s fate is yet to be decided.
Toddler Alaruh Walker was at home when she was mauled by her family dog, a 35kg South African Boerboel named ‘Joop’, which has since been seized by council authorities.
Emergency services were called to the Camilla Ave home at Osborne around 1.30pm on Monday, before the young girl was rushed to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital with her mother Natasha Varney by her side.
On Wednesday, Alaruh’s father, Chris Walker, told 9 News she was continuing to recover in hospital and was expected to be discharged after the weekend.
Port Adelaide Enfield council is yet to make a decision on the dog’s fate, but a local vet said the South African breed was known to be aggressive.
Derek McNair, director of the Parade Norwood Veterinary Clinic, said the “very large” dogs should be banned from suburban areas because they were more likely to show aggressive behaviours due to their protective nature.
“If they end up in a family that is not prepared to put in that work and training then the risks certainly increase,” he said.
Dr McNair said though the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA were not in favour of banning breeds – including the African Boerboel – he was.
“There are certain breeds which have a higher risk attached to them and are less suitable to be living in suburbia,” he said.
Mr Walker told 7NEWS he heard growling inside their home before he discovered the dog attacking his daughter, finding her with her face badly bitten.
Neighbour Anthony Dear said he arrived home to find ambulance officers everywhere and told The Advertiser he grabbed the dog off the street.
Mr Dear said the dog was well behaved and wasn’t aggressive toward him.
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