Horror dog attack on girl,10, recalled

Rhianna Kidd was attacked by the dogs while riding her bicycle in Dundee on Sunday.

The primary school pupil was treated for a fractured jaw yesterday and needed plastic surgery.

A woman,33, was charged in connection with the attack under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Irene Grady, the girl’s grandmother, saw the dogs set upon the youngster as she pedalled towards her home in Dryburgh Street in the city. She had been dropped off by her father moments earlier.

Mrs Grady, 56, described the dogs as “killing machines”.

She said: “It happened that quickly, in minutes. Rhianna was screaming, she was covered in blood, absolutely covered.

“She looked in a bad way to me. She’s so thin. What chance would Rhianna have? She’s not big for her age. She’s 10 but she looks about eight.

“It was like a horror movie.”

Mrs Grady said Rhianna’s father Neil Kidd, 32, was as “white as a sheet” when he saw her.

She added: “Her jaw’s broken in two places and pins have been put in. They’ll be in for the rest of her life.

“She’s got bites everywhere and she’s got chunks out of her leg. She’s got bites all over her arms and she can’t open her left eye properly.”

A new law on dogs was passed by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year and is being implemented by local authorities.

Under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act, councils will have to compile a list of potentially dangerous dogs.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said: “This horrific attack has appalled everyone and our sympathies go to Rhianna and her family.

“The new Bill reforms the law around dangerous or out of control dogs, and gives local authorities greater powers to act.”