Thanks to AB for sending this one along 
Mother Defends Dog After Attack on Son
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A little Australian boy's face was horribly scarred by the family dog - but his
mother vowed to keep the pet, blaming the attack on her son.
Two-year-old Noah Newbold is lucky to have the sight in his left eye after
being mauled by his family's mastiff-staffordshire cross.
Deep cuts and scratches cover the left side of his face.
But, the toddler's mother, Alicia Cottier, said she was keeping the dog despite
the attack because it had been provoked by her son pulling the dog's ears.
"People are telling me I should shoot the dog, and as much as I love my son to
death, I believe Noah was annoying her. I love the dog and she's part of the
family," Cottier said.
Noah is nursing a range of painful injuries after being bitten on Monday night
at his home at Booral in the Hunter Valley.
Police attended the scene but said there no charges would be laid because the
attack had occurred at the home of the dog's owner.
With a large cut on his eyelid, and puncture marks on his cheeks and chin, the
toddler told The Daily Telegraph his pet dog "bited me."
As the child hugged and kissed the dog yesterday, Ms Cottier said the attack
was not the dog's fault.
"It's not like the dog picked him up and shook him or anything, she just
snapped at him for pulling on her ears," she said.
"She's a good dog, I've never had any problems with her before and I don't
think it's her fault."
Young Noah agreed.
"I love Cassey," Noah said.
Paramedics who dressed the boy's wounds said he was lucky to escape with so few
injuries, given his size compared with the dog.
Until Monday night, Cottier said Noah and Cassey played together like best
friends.
But one too many tugs of the dog's ears, according to Cottier, was enough to
set her off.
"Noah was lying all over her and he started pulling her ears. I told him not to
or she'd get cranky," Cottier said.
But Noah persisted.
"Normally when she (Cassey) has had enough, she walks away from him but this
time she snapped at him and she's bitten him on the face," Cottier said.
Noah was covered in blood and crying hysterically when Ms Cottier pulled him
away from the dog and dialled triple-0.
"There was blood everywhere, and he was screaming," she said.
Ambulance officers from the Hunter Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended to Noah
and deemed him "the luckiest boy alive".
Lower Hunter police inspector Glenn Blain said the dog's fate was in the hands
of its owner.
"It happened at the house where the dog lives so no action will be taken," he
said.
Mother Defends Dog After Attack on Son
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A little Australian boy's face was horribly scarred by the family dog - but his
mother vowed to keep the pet, blaming the attack on her son.
Two-year-old Noah Newbold is lucky to have the sight in his left eye after
being mauled by his family's mastiff-staffordshire cross.
Deep cuts and scratches cover the left side of his face.
But, the toddler's mother, Alicia Cottier, said she was keeping the dog despite
the attack because it had been provoked by her son pulling the dog's ears.
"People are telling me I should shoot the dog, and as much as I love my son to
death, I believe Noah was annoying her. I love the dog and she's part of the
family," Cottier said.
Noah is nursing a range of painful injuries after being bitten on Monday night
at his home at Booral in the Hunter Valley.
Police attended the scene but said there no charges would be laid because the
attack had occurred at the home of the dog's owner.
With a large cut on his eyelid, and puncture marks on his cheeks and chin, the
toddler told The Daily Telegraph his pet dog "bited me."
As the child hugged and kissed the dog yesterday, Ms Cottier said the attack
was not the dog's fault.
"It's not like the dog picked him up and shook him or anything, she just
snapped at him for pulling on her ears," she said.
"She's a good dog, I've never had any problems with her before and I don't
think it's her fault."
Young Noah agreed.
"I love Cassey," Noah said.
Paramedics who dressed the boy's wounds said he was lucky to escape with so few
injuries, given his size compared with the dog.
Until Monday night, Cottier said Noah and Cassey played together like best
friends.
But one too many tugs of the dog's ears, according to Cottier, was enough to
set her off.
"Noah was lying all over her and he started pulling her ears. I told him not to
or she'd get cranky," Cottier said.
But Noah persisted.
"Normally when she (Cassey) has had enough, she walks away from him but this
time she snapped at him and she's bitten him on the face," Cottier said.
Noah was covered in blood and crying hysterically when Ms Cottier pulled him
away from the dog and dialled triple-0.
"There was blood everywhere, and he was screaming," she said.
Ambulance officers from the Hunter Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended to Noah
and deemed him "the luckiest boy alive".
Lower Hunter police inspector Glenn Blain said the dog's fate was in the hands
of its owner.
"It happened at the house where the dog lives so no action will be taken," he
said.
