'Jealous' family dog savages face of two-year-old girl

A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl suffered horrific facial injuries after she was attacked by the family's new pet dog, her mother said yesterday.

Jade Wardle put her arm around the family's new dog, Hooch, a Labrador-cross, when it suddenly lunged at her face without warning after just three days in its new home.

Frantic Rochelle Wardle, 22, had to kick out at the three-year-old dog to make it loosen its grip before rushing outside where friends and family telephoned an ambulance.

The youngster needed plastic surgery for her injuries and also had to have a tear duct replaced during surgery on Saturday night. Ms Wardle, of Pelton Fell, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, yesterday said how the dog had been "tremendous" with them in the short time they had owned it.

The mother and daughter were in the kitchen of their home when the attack occurred. She said: "Things could have been far worse and I dread to think what would have happened if I had not been there. "There was no growling or snarling, he just went for her face, it was awful. "He was such a lovely dog in the first three days and this is such a shock. "I cannot believe what happened. "I don't think it was an aggression thing but more a jealousy thing with the affection I was showing Jade."

The youngster spent the night in the University Hospital of North Durham, where she was treated for her injuries. Ms Wardle bought the dog from a private advert in a local ad-mag and visited the family before buying it at their home in Hetton, in neighbouring Tyne and Wear.

The couple who originally sold the dog arrived on Sunday to take it back, before Rochelle and Jade returned from hospital. She added: "As far as I know they were going to have it put down. "They couldn't keep it themselves and the woman said she would not be able to live with herself if it went to another family and did the same thing."