Boy mauled in sickening dog attack

Marcus Barnes: mauled by friend's dog.

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A 13-year-old boy has been left with shocking injuries after being mauled by a friend’s family pet.

Marcus Barnes was at a friend’s house in Limeside, when the animal pounced, tearing open part of his face, arm and stomach.

Marcus was taken to hospital for surgery and stitches.

Now his parents want to see action against the dog’s owner, who admitted to police the husky - since destroyed - had bitten before.

Dad James McMahon, a dog owner himself, says he would never leave his own pet around unsupervised children.

“How many times do we have to see young people on the news being attacked left, right and centre, or even killed by dogs? If you know you have a dog that cannot be trusted, either supervise it at all times or get rid of it all together,” he said angrily.

“If this had just been a one-off attack, you could look into it and wonder, was the dog provoked? “The owner of this dog knows it has bitten before, and has done nothing about it until it caused awful damage to my son.

“Marcus has to undergo plastic surgery to his face because his lip is hanging off, and he’s got stitches in his arm where the muscles around his elbow have been ripped.”

“As a dog owner, I can absolutely say it is the dog owner’s responsibility to make sure their animal is safe around other people.

Mum Cheryl said: “The law on dog owners is way too relaxed. Even in their owner’s house they aren’t safe. Why would you ever leave it near children, if you think there is even a one per cent chance it could attack? The owners need to be prosecuted.”