Six-year-old boy has face savaged by neighbour's dog as he helped his mother with the washing

-Erfan Ali was 'lucky to be alive' after the vicious attack
-He will be scarred for life after dog bit his face and arm


By EMILY ALLEN

A six-year-old boy was lucky to be alive after being savaged by a neighbour's out-of-control dog in his own back garden

Erfan Ali, of Cardiff, underwent a five-hour operation at the weekend after being bitten in the face by the Rhodesian Ridgeback on Friday afternoon.

Medics told his parents their little boy, whose cheeks were torn away by the dog, will be scarred for life and will have to undergo surgery to rebuild his face.

Erfan also suffered injuries to his right arm and hand and was lucky to escape with his life.

His father, Dilwar Ali, 38, said: 'My child has lost both sides of his face. He will never get back to normal.

'The dog was really attacking my boy badly - it bit his right and left cheeks and his left hand has been damaged as well.

'There was blood everywhere.'

The attack happened in family's back garden in Gabalfa as Erfan was helping his mother, Monowara Ali, take in washing.

She fled into the house with her son but was unable to stop the dog forcing its way into the kitchen and continuing the attack.

The dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Tyson which has since been destroyed, continued the attack until its owner managed to bundle it outside.

Erfan was initially taken to University Hospital, Cardiff, and was later transferred to a special unit at Morriston Hospital, Swansea.

Surgery: Erfan, six, also suffered injuries to his right arm and hand and was lucky to escape with his life
The attack happened when he was helping his mother bring in the washing


Despite an urgent operation for his facial injuries he will have to undergo extensive further surgery, with skin grafts, as he grows up.

The child initially received rapid treatment for his injuries at home after his quick thinking sister, Masudah, 12, called paramedics.

'My son went into the garden to help his mother to collect the washing when the dog from next door jumped the fence and grabbed my son's hand,' Mr Ali, told BBC Wales online.


'The dog was very aggressive. My son managed to get back to the house, but the dog would not let go and carried on attacking him.'

Mr Ali, who operates the family run Nahin Spice Centre, in Caerphilly Road, Cardiff, said he arrived home on Friday, to find blood everywhere.

He added: 'We've been told by the hospital consultant that Erfan will have permanent scars.

'My son is well known in our community and is a big Cardiff City fan.'

He added: 'I don't want this to happen to other children.'

The dog's owner, who did not want to be named, said: 'I am just feeling really bad, I am just devastated over the situation.

'I climbed over the fence because I could hear screaming and I could see the dog in next door's hallway.

'He was barking so I just quickly grabbed him. I didn't know what had happened.

'I saw the little boy and the blood on his face. You can imagine what I thought then - it was just panic.'

The owner insisted Tyson had never attacked anyone before and had been 'a lovely dog.'

'He just flipped,' he added.'

The incident is being investigated by South Wales Police and no one has been arrested.


source:dailymail