The family of a four-year-old boy who received serious facial injuries and nerve damage after being attacked by a pet dog while playing at friend’s house is questioning why the dog will not be destroyed.
WARNING: This story contains images some people may find distressing.
Swayde Rangi was playing at a friend’s house in Perth in August when their pet Bull Arab dog, Orlando, attacked him, mauling his face and leaving him with permanent nerve damage.
His mother Jasmine Santich told ABC Radio Perth her son suffered significant and permanent injuries, and had to be rushed by ambulance to hospital for surgery.
“He was taken to Perth Children’s Hospital and had some pretty extensive reconstructive surgery done to his face,” Ms Santich said.
Jasmine Santich is Swayde’s mother. (ABC News: Nicholas Martyr)
“It was a laceration to his forehead down to the skull, his tear duct to his eye had a full thickness split which was down to basically the pit of his cheek.
“His ear had been mauled open, there was muscle exposed, there was significant nerve damage. He had a one-sided facial palsy which was quite traumatising to see.”
Swayde Rangi was rushed to Perth Children’s Hospital by ambulance after the attack. (Supplied: Jasmine Santich)
Ms Santich said her son was also suffering complex emotional trauma, permanent nerve damage and has scar tissue requiring daily therapy.
He will also require further surgery on his eye.
“He’s got a stent in his eye and the eye basically is permanently like he’s going to cry because there’s no filtration system there, so his eye is filled with fluid all the time,” Ms Santich said.
She said the experience had also left her son psychologically injured and deeply afraid of all dogs.
Four-year-old boy Swayde Rangi is recovering from severe facial injuries after being mauled by a rescue dog at a friend’s house. (Supplied: Jasmine Santich)
“Our neighbour has a dog. When the dog comes out the front, Swayde can’t get inside quick enough, and the colour just drains from his face,” she said.
“He actually meets all the criteria for acute stress disorder, which is basically like an active form of PTSD, at four years old.”
Ms Santich said if she had known the dog, which had known behavioural issues, was unrestrained she would not have left her son there to play with his friend.
Dangerous dog declaration
After an investigation, the City of Cockburn seized Orlando and conducted an investigation.
The council notified Swayde’s parents that due to the serious nature of the Swayde’s injuries Orlando would be declared a dangerous dog under the relevant dog act.
Swayde Rangi has permanent nerve damage and palsy after a dog attack. (Supplied: Jasmine Santich)
The local ranger said the declaration came with significant restrictions regarding enclosures, muzzling and signage at [the owner’s] property.
The council will not release Orlando back to its owner until those conditions have been met.
The council will also initiate a court prosecution against the owner for the offence of dog attack or ‘chase causing physical injury’, which carries a maximum penalty of $10,000.
Four-year-old Swayde Rangi received severe facial injuries following at attack by a rescue dog at a friend’s house. (Supplied: Jasmine Santich)
However, Ms Santich said that did not go far enough and she believed Orlando should be put down.
She said she had been told the dog had previously attacked two other people.
“What happens if the next time it’s a smaller child that it gets its jugular or there could be permanent damage to eyesight?
Jasmine Santich is calling on the local council to take further action. (ABC News: Nicholas Martyr)
“The evidence is kind of there that maybe this dog is really not a trustworthy dog or one that you would ever want around children and other people.”
In a statement, Anton Lees, acting director of Community and Place at the City of Cockburn said the city had no prior reports of Orlando being involved in other attacks.
“The city believes the father of the young victim said in his statement that the dog had attacked other people, but we have no evidence to enable any further investigation of these claims,” Mr Lees said.
“The city will investigate further if it receives a statement from someone who alleges they have been attacked previously by this dog.”
He said as a declared ‘dangerous dog’, Orlando would be required to wear a muzzle in public, wear a dangerous dog collar at all times and be on a leash in public places.
“The owners must also comply with a property inspection, with specific ‘dangerous dog’ warning signage installed at all entry points. Penalties apply if these legal requirements are not complied with,” he said.
“Restrictions are designed to ensure, as far as possible, that the possibility of a future attack is minimised, in line with the legislation.”
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