An East Nowra mother has told of her frantic efforts to try and release her son from the jaws of a dog during an attack on Sunday afternoon.
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Melissa Lyons has described how she was “dragged around” by the Bull Arab dog as she tried to release her two-year-old son from the dog’s grip.
'I just tried to get the jaws open - it was dragging me around the yard as I was holding my son.'
Ms Lyons and her son were visiting a friend’s home in Quickmatch Street, East Nowra on Sunday when the attack happened around 4pm.
“It was horrible,” she said. “It was crazy. I’m just glad I was there and moved so quickly.
“If I didn’t get those jaws apart I don’t know.”
She said the attack lasted “a good couple of minutes” as she tried to free her son.
““The dog had lock-jaw. It was horrible,” she said. “It was dragging me around the yard as I was holding my son.”
A still visibly shaken Ms Lyons had scars of her own from the attack with a skinned knee heavily bandaged.
“It [the dog] had that much force it was dragging me around as well as I was trying to get my baby,” she said.
“All I could think about was getting the jaws open. It was horrible …. still is.”
The boy was taken to Shoalhaven District Hospital after the attack in a serious but stable condition with at least 10 puncture wounds to his chest, back, head and legs.
“I’m just relieved he’s okay,” she said.
“It could have been a lot worse. I’m just grateful he’s here.”
After initial treatment at Shoalhaven Hospital, the toddler spent the night in children’s ward and was transferred to Westmead Children’s Hospital for further treatment around 1pm on Monday.
Police were told the boy was in the front yard of a home on Quickmatch Street when he was attacked.
Nowra Police duty officer Chief Inspector Steve Johnson said officers visited the youngster early Monday morning before he was transferred.
“He was doing remarkably well,” Chief Inspector Johnson said.
“He was up walking around and playing with toys. We gave him a teddy which he seemed to enjoy.”
The dog was secured and officers from Shoalhaven Local Area Command and taken to the Shoalhaven City Council pound at West Nowra.
Chief Inspector Johnson said police would interview the dog owner later Monday afternoon.
“We are continuing to investigate the incident and will liaise with Shoalhaven Council rangers in relation to what action will be taken with the dog,” he said.
He said the maximum penalty for the owner of an attacking dog was $10,000.
It was the second dog attack NSW Ambulance Paramedics were called to in the Shoalhaven on Sunday, with a five-year-old Bomaderry girl suffering a bite to the hand in the other incident.
