Man, 60, arrested over XL bully dog attack in Birmingham
A man has been arrested in connection with a horrifying American XL bully dog attack on an 11-year-old girl.
Schoolgirl Ana Paun was ‘ferociously’ savaged by the animal as she walked to the shops with her sister Geneza, 18, in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, on Saturday.
Police have now arrested a 60-year-old man on suspicion of possessing a dog dangerously out of control.
West Midlands Police said today: ‘He has been bailed with conditions while enquiries continue.’
Officers also said the dog, which is an American XL bully XL and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy, remains in secure kennels.
The shocking incident left young Ana with bad injuries and ‘too frightened to leave home’ – and she says she wants the dog to be put down.
Recalling the attack, Ana told how the dog ‘just came at me out of nowhere’ after breaking free from its collar.
She told MailOnline: ‘The dog stared at me and as I got closer it suddenly jumped up and bit my arm.
‘It didn’t take its gaze off me and continued staring while it was biting.
‘It sort of locked on my arm and wouldn’t let go. I was screaming as loud as I could.’
Cops also previously praised the bravery of the people who intervened to help Ana.
Two men who came to her aide were also bitten and left with injuries to their shoulders and arms after the dog broke free from its collar twice.
They were taken to hospital to be treated for their wounds – the force said Ana sustained similar injuries not thought to be life-threatening.
In a statement issued on Monday, West Midlands Police said: ‘The dog was seized by officers and taken to a vet suffering from heat exhaustion.
‘He has now been taken into secure kennels and our dog unit will consider what will happen to it.
‘The dog’s owner is currently in hospital and we will be speaking to him in due course.
‘This was an alarming and shocking incident on a busy road in high temperatures and members of the public showed immense courage in tackling such a ferocious dog.
‘We are taking statements from the victims and witnesses, and will have increased patrols in the area for anyone who would like to speak to us.’
The incident prompted Home Secretary Suella Braverman to seek ‘urgent advice’ on whether the breed should be banned.
This specific breed has been linked to nine deaths – including three children – since 2021.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.