NSW: Girl's lip found in yard after dog attack: Police
11 Nov 2008 2:53 PMBy Vincent Morello
SYDNEY, Nov 11 AAP - A little girl mauled by a dog in the yard of her NSW Central Coast home had part of her lip torn from her face, police say.
Police say officers found part of the girl's lip when they inspected her front yard following the attack by a large rottweiler-type dog last night.
The nine-year-old remains in a serious condition in hospital and has undergone facial reconstruction surgery.
Police say she was playing in the yard of her Umina Beach home about 7.20pm(AEDT) when the dog wandered onto the premises.
"At this stage, it's unknown if the girl was actually playing with the dog and for whatever the reason the dog has turned on her," Brisbane Waters Police Inspector Nigel Webber told AAP.
The girl freed herself from the animal and ran inside the house to her mother and older sister.
The dog had wandered off by the time ambulance officers arrived on the scene.
An Ambulance Service of NSW spokeswoman said the girl had multiple bites toher face and was taken to Gosford District Hospital.
Police who arrived at the scene soon after the attack made a gruesome find while inspecting the front yard.
"Police were advised by a neighbour that the dog was in their backyard," Insp Webber said.
"The dog was secured and police canvassed the area and found a portion of the child's lip and conveyed that directly to hospital."
The girl was later taken to the Children's Hospital at Westmead, in westernSydney.
She remains in a serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Officers contacted the dog's owner and called in a local council ranger whoseized the animal.
The investigation is ongoing but police have already applied for a court order to have the dog destroyed.
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