Mother blasts new dog laws after neighbour's Chow Chow mauled daughter at home

Hawwa-Jannat Ibrahim, now 11, from Bradford, was collecting a parcel from her next-door neighbour's house when their Chow Chow got out and chased her.

The terrified schoolgirl ran back into her own home, but the dog pursued her and bit her on her own living room floor in front of her two-year-old sister as she screamed.

Children under 12 are to be banned from being left alone with dangerous dogs, such as XL Bullies, under new rules announced by the government on Tuesday (Jun 9).

Hawwa-Jannat had to have her wounds glued in hospital following the ordeal, and has been left scarred on her inner leg.

She struggled to climb the stairs because of the pain caused by her injuries, and was off school for two weeks.

Following the attack, mum-of-three Sofia Mehrban, 38, blasted police for giving her neighbours back the dog.

West Yorkshire Police seized the Chow Chow dog following the attack, but gave it back as long as neighbours promised to install a baby gate, put up a sign, and attend a dog training course.

Sofia said that her daughter has struggled to sleep since the attack, which happened in March 2025, and believes that the measures announced on Tuesday don't do enough to protect children like Hawwa-Jannat.

She said: "While I welcome any measures designed to improve child safety around dangerous dogs, I do not believe this new law addresses the issues that failed my daughter.

"Hawwa-Jannat was not left alone with a dangerous dog. A neighbour's dog escaped, chased her into our home, and attacked her there. This was not a case of irresponsible parenting.

"It was a case of a dangerous dog being allowed to escape and seriously injure a child. For me, this issue is about more than new laws.

"It is about ensuring that when a dangerous dog attacks a child, authorities act decisively, victims are protected, and communities are listened to. In our case, I do not believe that happened."

Sofia said she contacted police following the incident but that they'd done 'absolutely nothing'.

She added: "I want it retrained and rehoused. If that's not an option, then I want it put down. Right now, it's put down or removed from next door. My daughters can't carry on living next door to a dog that's a danger to everybody, to children and animals.

"Any time there's a parcel or a letter, he'll bark and run about. My daughter can hear that in the house. She's obviously petrified of it. It's like she's in prison inside her own home.

"My two-year-old is petrified when my front door opens or my back door, she tells everyone 'the dog's going to come in'. It's not fair on my children."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Police attended a report that a dog had bitten a child on Compton Street, on 26 March 2025.

"The child had suffered non life threatening injuries. A statement from the victim wasn't taken and an appointment was made for the next day, due to operational commitments this was not carried out.

"The victim then came into the police station on 28 March and a crime was recorded and the investigation started. The dog was seized by Bradford Neighbourhood Policing Team on 1 April.

"A man voluntarily attended a police station in relation to the incident, admitted the offence of being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control and was given a conditional caution.

"Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) liaised with the dog section at West Yorkshire Police and the dog was released back to the owner along with three conditions which included:

"1. Put a sign at the front of the property that displays there is a dog present.

"2. Put a working baby gate inside of the address to secure the dog from getting out.

"3. Attend a dog training course in relation to dog behaviour.

"Several compliance checks have been made since by officers and all conditions have been met on every occasion.

"Bradford South NPT are aware of concerns within the community and are engaging with local residents in the area."