First picture of baby savaged by family’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier as grandad says parents are not monsters
THE mum and dad of a baby boy mauled by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier are "not horrible" parents, his grandad said today.
Reuben McNulty, aged under a month old, was attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning at his family home in Yaxley, near Peterborough.
The baby is currently fighting for his life in Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
Today his grandad Paul Litchfield described the mauling as a "freak accident" - after Reuben's jobless parents Dan McNulty, 31, and Amy Litchfield, 28, were quizzed by cops.
They are both now at Reuben's bedside.
The infant was attacked by one his parents' Staffordshire Bull Terrier dogs.
Mum Amy was said to have doted on the animals and previously referred to them on Facebook as her “furr babys".
Speaking outside the couple's £160,000 two-bed flat, Reuben's grandad said: "The kid is not good bless him. Even the parents are in a bad way. They're in bits, they're devastated.
"At the end of the day it's just a big freak accident and everyone's making a big thing of it."
Mr Litchfield added: "They've done nothing wrong and the way it's being portrayed at the minute, they're horrible parents.
"They bloody aren't...they've been fantastic. If they were horrible parents they wouldn't be sitting with that young lad now.
"People need to realise there's always two sides to the story.
"The thing is there's a lot at stake here for everybody, not just them, for us as well, as family."
The couple's two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, called Fizzy and Dotty, have been taken from the property and placed in police kennels.
One neighbour described the dogs as "vicious".
The man said: "I have seen those dogs before and they are vicious and will show their teeth at anyone."
Reuben's parents were arrested on suspicion of child neglect and released on bail until December 15.
A police spokesman said: "We were called by the ambulance service at 1.47am (Sunday, November 18) to an address in Yaxley, with reports of concern for baby boy who had been attacked by a dog.
"Officers and paramedics attended the scene and the baby was taken to Peterborough City Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, with life-threatening injuries.
"He remains in a critical condition.
"A 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, both from Yaxley, were arrested on suspicion of child neglect and have been bailed until 15 December.
"Two dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, were taken from the property and are in police kennels.
"Police remain at the scene and an investigation has been launched."
Under UK law, the Dangerous Dogs Act [1991] bans four breeds of dogs from being owned or bred.
These are the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
Often confused with the banned Pit Bull Terrier breed, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not banned in the UK, despite being described by some as "dangerous".
The government advises owners it is against the law for any dog to be "dangerously out of control anywhere".
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Dogs are considered dangerously out of control if they injure someone or make someone fear they may be injured.
A person could face an unlimited fine and/or be sent to jail for six months if their dog is dangerously out of control.
A lengthy prison sentence can be expected if their dog injuries or kills someone.
Recent dog attacks in the UK
November 2016 - Aiden Noel, 19, had part of his nose ripped off by a Jack Russell Terrier.
August 2016 - A three-year-old boy died after an American bulldog savaged him. Owner Jade Dunne, 29, got 12 months’ jail suspended for two years.
April 2017 - A girl, 10 was tossed around "like a rag doll" for ten minutes by an out-of-control dog.
April 2017 - A one-year-old was "scalped" by a dog in Chatham which was later shot dead.
May 2017 - A two-year-old girl was savaged by an “XXL” American Bully Dog.
June 2017 - A young girl suffered facial injuries after she was bitten by a husky.
November 2017 - A couple's pet Beagle was mauled to death by two vicious Mastiff-type dogs when it was let off its lead in a park.
December 2017 - A dog owner was jailed for four years after her Staffie mauled 12 kids in a playground in Northumberland in May 2016.
February 2018 - A man whose bull terrier attacked and killed his neighbour was jailed for 10 years. The owner had ignored a court order requiring his dog be muzzled, neutered and kept on a lead in public.
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