£20,000 claim for girl dog attack

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The family of a four-year-old girl from Carmarthenshire who was nearly mauled to death by her neighbour's dog are to claim up to £20,000 from the owner.

The Akita Japanese hunting dog still lives next door to Anna Knuckles near Llansteffan, two years on.

Anna, who at the time of the attack was two, needed extensive surgery including 100 stitches in her head and face.

The dog's owner, Stephen O'Connor, has refused to comment to the BBC on the claim for compensation.

Anna was mauled in January 2005 when, accompanied by her father Ken, she went round to her neighbour's home to return a video and the animal pounced on her.

Mr Knuckles described the attack as a "horrifying experience".

The dog should have been restrained, it should have been kept away. Solicitor Mike Imperato

"All of a sudden there was a pounce and it was on her that quick. I looked down and I couldn't see my daughter just the dog eating," he said.

"There was a workman in the room at the time, thank God, because he knew the dog.

"He yelled to the dog and grabbed it from the back and I grabbed it from the front to try and remove it."

Without that help Mr Knuckles said he would not have been able to pull the dog off his daughter.

"He'd already systematically eaten through the skull and the ear and my daughter was very quite and then screamed and started losing consciousness," he told BBC Radio Wales.

Akitas are a Japanese breed prized for their ability to hunt bears

Anna underwent extensive surgery for her injuries including her ear being torn, her jaw muscles damaged, and her skull compressed and split open.

She has since made a good recovery but still suffers from a phobia of dogs and her father said they have had to live with the fear every day of having the dog living next door.

A complaint was made to Dyfed-Powys Police, but officers were unable to do anything about it because legislation only covers attacks in a public place, and this happened in a private house.

The Knuckles considered moving but decided to stay because they run a hostel on the premises and would lose their livelihoods if they left.

The Akita is not among the UK's banned dog breeds and the father said they were taking civil action against their neighbour because they felt someone should be held responsible.

Solicitor Mike Imperato said they are waiting for a final psychiatric assessment on Anna before they issue proceedings but he said damages could be worth up to £20,000.

No provocation

Mr Imperato said the Akita was "quite clearly a large dangerous dog".

"It's a dog which is trained to bring down bears in Japanese forests. That's what this breed of dog is supposed to do," he said.

"The dog should have been restrained, it should have been kept away.

"We're saying it wasn't. The dog then attacked the child with no provocation whatsoever.

"A horrendous attack, and we're saying the owner in those circumstances was clearly negligent."