'My daughter came home from a play date - I screamed when I saw the state of her'

Rosie Dempster was mauled by a pit bull-type dog while she was playing at her friend’s house on September 11 - her mum Gillian recalled the sickening moment she was brought home

A mum left horrified when her daughter returned from a play date covered in blood from a dog attack has hit out after the beast was allowed to live.

Rosie Dempster, aged 5, was savaged by the pit bull-type beast while she was playing round at her friend’s house on September 11.

The out-of-control dog ripped into the little girl’s face, resulting in wounds to her mouth, eye and ear as she played on a swing in the garden of the family home in northern Glasgow.

Mum Gillian Dempster recalled the sickening moment her daughter was returned home to her, with blood pouring from her wounds, the Daily Record reports.

The 40-year-old explained: "Rose appeared at the door with her wee pal's mum and I almost collapsed at the sight of her. She was covered in blood.

"I screamed, but I must have been in shock because I immediately went into survival mode and took Rose inside and phoned an ambulance. The woman told me the dog had jumped on her but she didn't say anything about it biting her or anything.

"But Rose told me the dog escaped from the house and charged towards her. Then it pinned her down and clamped it's jaws on her head. She was shaking and just kept repeating that the dog had bitten her. I started to wipe the blood off her face but I saw that her ear was hanging by a thread.

"She had cuts all over her face and scratches over her body. I knew then that we were lucky we were taking to the hospital and not the morgue. This dog could have killed her."

Rose was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. She received stitches to her wounds but medics have warned that she may still require reconstructive surgery on her face.

Gillian has now slammed authorities who have decided not to destroy the dog. She claims the police told her that they had limited powers to act because it was the first time the dog had attacked someone and the incident took place on private property.

The furious mum added: "This dog has to be destroyed. It left my daughter scarred for life. Are the police going to wait for it to kill someone? All the children in the area are at risk because this dog is left to roam around in the garden. It could escape at any minute.

"The owners also have a wee boy the same age as Rose, so I don't understand how they can live with that dog in the house knowing it is capable of attacking a child at any minute.

"I told the police that I won't rest until something is done about it. I promised my daughter that I would get justice for her and now we have to continue living with this dog in our street.

"I am going to see a lawyer about this and won't rest until something is done about this dog."

Primary one pupil Rose also been left traumatised by the attack and is set to get counselling through play therapy at her school. Gillian continued: "Rose hasn't been herself since this happened.

"We don't know how severe the trauma is going to be at this stage but she has been having nightmares and can't be anywhere near dogs. She is petrified if they come anywhere near her and that is a real shame because she grew up with a dog in our house."

Gillian said she now believes that bulldog breeds should not be kept in domestic environments. She added: "I love dogs but I just don't know why anyone would want to own an animal that is capable of such aggression.

"All these dogs should be banned, but at the very least, they should never be allowed anywhere near a child in a domestic setting."

A scotland >Police Scotland spokesperson said: " Around 8.40pm on Wednesday, 11 September, 2024, officers received a report of a dog attack on Tresta Road, Glasgow. Advice and assistance were given and the matter was referred to the dog warden.”

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, the police are responsible for investigating serious incidents such as a dog attack on a child or another person.”