First picture of Andrew McGowan, 35, who bred pack of ‘XXL’ American Bully Dogs which broke out of his garden and mauled a two-year-old girl
A hero aunt screamed 'the dog’s got the baby!' before fighting off at least one hound and rescuing the seriously injured youngster
THIS is the 35-year-old man who bred a pack of "XXL" American Bully Dogs, which broke out of his garden and mauled a two-year-old girl.
Andrew McGowan admitted being in charge of four dangerously out-of-control dogs he kept in an “insecure pen” in his garden.
“Huge” dogs attacked the tot after escaping into the Liverpool garden where she was playing with two other children, aged four and six.
A hero aunt screamed “the dog’s got the baby!” before fighting off at least one dog and rescuing the seriously injured youngster, named locally as Ella, on Sunday.
Cops said the attack could have been worse if the girl’s aunt had not stepped in shortly after 3.30pm, but it remains unclear if the tot will make a full recovery.
The aunt grabbed the youngster and ran with her in her arms to the front of the home, in Dingle, Liverpool, where neighbours rushed to help.
An air ambulance then took the youngster to Alder Hey Children's Hospital where she remains in a “serious but not life-threatening” condition.
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The aunt was taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital where she received treatment for minor injuries.
A neighbour said the aunt, who has been praised by cops for her actions, was screaming: "The dog's got the baby! The dog's got the baby!"
The neighbour added: "I can't even actually think about it now" and was too upset to speak further.
In the aftermath of the “savage” attack cops seized dogs and arrested the owner.
Mark Wiggins, of Merseyside Police, yesterday confirmed the hounds were American Bully Dogs, which is not a banned breed, adding that there were 11 of the animals in the three-bedroom, mid-terraced property, five adults and six puppies.
Two of the adult dogs have since been humanely destroyed.
Supt Wiggins added: "There were three young children playing in that garden at the time, aged two, four and six and that the 57-year-old auntie who was in that property, was in the garden at the same time.
"Now she's managed to get the two older children back into the property unharmed but unfortunately she's been hurt herself with minor injuries while she's been trying to protect the two-year-old.
"She [the girl] has got extensive injuries to her face, to her neck and to her body and only time will tell if she fully recovers from that attack."
He described the victim's family as traumatised and appealed to the public to report any worries about dangerous dogs or irresponsible owners to police.
He added: "If you do insist on having a dog, you should put a muzzle on it if you have it in public."
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