Pictured: Little girl, five, who had ‘half her cheek’ bitten off by dog outside a Nisa store

• Farrah Leigh, five, was attacked by a Teesside Nisa on Friday at around 6.30 pm 
• She was hospitalised to treat ‘significant injuries to her face’  after the mauling
• WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT 

A five-year-old girl who was mauled by a dog outside a supermarket has been pictured for the first time.

Farrah Leigh was rushed to hospital to battle ‘significant’ injuries to her face after she was mauled by a dog outside a Nisa in Teesside. 

She was attacked at the shop at around 6.30pm on Friday and taken to hospital after emergency services were called to the scene. 

The dog has since been seized by local police. A fundraiser set up for the family said the dog ‘has taken off half her cheek’.

Cleveland Police said: ‘The girl has suffered significant injuries to her face and is receiving treatment in hospital.

Farrah Leigh, five, (pictured) was rushed to hospital to battle ‘significant’ injuries to her face after she was mauled by a dog outside a Nisa in Teesside

She was attacked at the shop at around 6.30 pm on Friday and taken to hospital after emergency services were called to the scene

‘The owner of the dog remained at the scene following the attack and co-operated with police. The dog has been seized.

‘We would politely ask people not to post photos relating to the incident and to avoid speculating on social media whilst officers continue with their investigation.’

The attack came after it was revealed that dog attacks left British children needing surgery more than 1,000 times last year, including nearly 400 cases where the child was under the age of four. 

The shocking figures showed that the total number of hospitalisations following dog attacks has nearly doubled from 4,699 in 2007/8 to 9,336 in 2022/23.

The girl, who has not yet been named, was attacked at the shop at around 6:30pm yesterday, and was taken to hospital after emergency services were called to the scene

Dr John Tulloch, a lecturer in veterinary public health at Liverpool University, previously said that the way Brits take care of dogs needs to change.  

‘We know dogs are now kept in the home for more than seven or eight hours on their own and they are going to get frustrated.

‘A lot of dogs don’t get the exercise needs – their health needs aren’t being met and so they have the potential to be more anxious and nervous.

‘If you keep a dog in a horrible environment and they’re not looked after they are going to have more behaviour problems and be more likely to bite.’

• https://www.gofundme.com/f/disney-land-for-farrahleigh-and-family?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook 

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