An XL bully dog has been put down after fatally attacking a 10-year-old girl in North Yorkshire last week.
Savannah Bentham, from the Malton area, was fatally attacked by her family’s pet dog at home on Friday. On Tuesday, the dog was identified as an XL bully and was euthanised by a vet, North Yorkshire police said.
Police said the dog had been with the family for four years, had a certificate of exemption under the new legislation and had been neutered. An autopsy will take place on the animal to help determine if there were any medical factors involved, they said.
Savannah’s family, in a statement issued by North Yorkshire police on Monday, said: “We are utterly shocked and devastated by what happened to Savannah. We can’t believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much. We thank everyone for their support and kindness as we struggle to come to terms with our loss. We ask that our family’s privacy is respected while we grieve.”
Police were called by the Yorkshire ambulance service at about 4.15pm on Friday. Despite the efforts of medics and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, Savannah died at the scene.
An investigation is under way and the force said one line of inquiry was the dog’s behaviour. Police said all indications suggested the attack was out of character, and that the girl and the pet had had a close and loving relationship.
A postmortem was held on Sunday and an inquest will open shortly. North Yorkshire police urged people not to speculate about what had happened and “to respect the family’s wish for privacy to grieve in peace”.