Cowra motel owner found his two dogs fatally attacking Jyedon Pollard

A Cowra motel’s staff have revealed the moment the venue’s owner heard his pets growling and discovered them attacking a two-year-old boy.

A motel owner whose two dogs set upon a little boy ran over to scoop up the child during the attack and rushed him to hospital before he later died in country NSW.

Jyedon Pollard, 2, died from horrific injuries he suffered when a Rottweiler and a cattle dog mauled him in the yard of a motel in the central west town of Cowra on Tuesday morning.

The two dogs were euthanised by Cowra Council rangers on Wednesday.

The dogs belonged to the owner of the Country Gardens Motor Inn, Matt McIllhatton, who bolted to the rear yard when he heard the dogs “going berserk”.

A traumatised staff member said Mr McIllhatton’s dogs were always friendly, and had played nicely with Jyedon and his sisters just the day before the deadly attack.

Jyedon Pollard was fatally mauled by two dogs in Cowra. Picture: Supplied

“Matt heard them going berserk and ran out...he seen it (the attack) first,” the staff member said.

Police said they were investigating whether Jyedon had gone into an enclosed area where the dogs had been secured.

Kesha Pollard and her son Jyedon Pollard (middle) who was killed in the Cowra dog attack, with his sisters Aaliyah and Tahaleaha. Picture: Facebook

The child’s mother Kesha Pollard had been living at the motel with her three children for a few weeks while she waited for permanent accommodation to become available through the NSW Department of Housing.

Witnesses said Mr McIllhatton scooped up the dying boy in a towel and rushed him to Cowra Hospital in his own car, while Ms Pollard nursed him, because it was quicker than waiting for an ambulance.

Jyedon was airlifted to Westmead Children’s Hospital but died from his injuries later that day.

Friends said Ms Pollard was a beautiful mum who adored her kids, and had a soft spot for her only boy.

Jyedon Pollard with his mum Kesha.

Jyedon was one of three children.

Six months with this scrumptious little boy of mine love you so much Jyedon. Mummys boy forever and ever,” she posted on social media beside a photo of the boy as a baby.

“You’re the most sweetest little boy,” she wrote beside another photo of him.

The dogs were seized by council rangers after the incident and were held at a local pound while police investigated the tragedy in the days following.

Police remained at the Country Gardens Motor Inn in Cowra on Wednesday investigating the tragedy. Picture: TNV

No charges have been laid and police have said that is too early in the investigation to say if any will be pursued.

Mr McIllhatton, 51, was fined earlier this year for not having an interlocking device installed on his car, as part of his licence conditions.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $330 in Cowral Local Court.

Detectives at the scene at the motel on Tuesday. Picture: TNV

Mr McIlhatton declined to comment when contacted by The Daily Telegraph.

NSW Police superintendent Bob Noble said of the attack: “It is an extremely unfortunate set of circumstances that led to this tragedy and it was a super-human effort to try to save his life.

“Everyone is devastated, when a child so young dies in such terrible fashion, it’s upsetting to a lot of people.”