Pit bull escapes after biting girl, 6

A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl was hospitalised yesterday after a pit bull terrier attacked and ripped off her clothes.

A search was continuing in Limerick last night for the dog, which attacked three other people before escaping. Gardaí believe the dog has been “blooded” for pit-bull fighting and warned parents to be vigilant.

Breda Cleary said the animal attacked her daughter Kate Marie, leaving her with leg injuries and most of her clothes torn off.

Ms Cleary praised her brothers Laurence Mullane, 16, and Mike Mullane, 20, for saving her daughter from horrific injury.

Ms Cleary, 30 said: “I was leaving my mother’s home in Kincora Park when I heard Katie Marie scream. I thought she was hit by a car.

“Then I saw this dog with his teeth stuck into her. He was pulling and pulling. I shouted for help. The dog had a right hold of her leg and tore off her tracksuit bottom.

“He was hanging off her for 10 minutes before my brothers managed to pull him off her.”

Katie Marie was rushed to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital where she was treated for bite wounds to her left leg.

“I’m lucky and I’m counting my blessings that my child isn’t unrecognisable,” she said.

Katie Marie’s uncle Laurence was the first to run to her rescue.

He said: “I grabbed the choker chain around his neck and managed to pull him off. He kept hanging onto the child after getting the taste of blood. He just bit and bit.”

After he eventually managed to drag his niece free, the dog ran down the street and attacked three other people near the Olympic Arms pub.

Last night gardaí, assisted by the city dog warden service, were trying to track down the dog.

A Garda spokesman said: “The child was lucky, it could have been far worse.”