A 10-year-old girl named Savannah Bentham tragically died after being attacked by her family's pet XL Bully dog at their home in East Heslerton, North Yorkshire, according to The Metro.
The incident took place in November last year when Savannah was left alone watching television with the six-year-old dog, named Biggie. Her mother had briefly left their static caravan to get help fixing a gas canister connection. Her father was at work at the time.
When her mother returned, she found Savannah on the floor with serious injuries and the dog covered in blood. Emergency services were called immediately, and bystanders tried to help, but sadly, Savannah died at the scene from injuries to her neck, as per the news portal.
An inquest into her death was held recently. According to Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Wilkinson, there had been no previous signs of aggression from the dog, and it was described as a calm and lazy pet.
Although XL Bully dogs are banned under UK dangerous dog laws, the family had legally kept Biggie under exemption rules. They had met all legal requirements, including registering the dog, neutering it, microchipping it, and ensuring it wore a muzzle in public.
Despite these precautions, the dog fatally attacked Savannah. There were no witnesses, and the dog was later put down. A post-mortem examination of the dog showed no health issues or physical conditions that might have caused sudden aggression.
North Yorkshire's senior coroner, Jon Heath, concluded that Savannah died as a result of injuries caused by the family dog.
In a statement released by North Yorkshire Police, Savannah's family said, "We are utterly shocked and devastated by what happened to Savannah. We can't believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much."
