By JESSE GRAHAM
FAMILIES of the children who were bitten in last week’s dog attack in Ferny Creek have said they don’t wish to see the animal destroyed, though the matter is now in the council’s hands.
The attack took place at Ferny Creek Primary School on Monday 16 June when a one-year-old, purebred English bulldog escaped from its owner’s property and made its way into the school at lunchtime.
Principal Matthew Coyle said the dog had been playful towards the students, but its demeanour quickly changed, and it began biting some of the students.
A teacher intervened when the dog had “clamped on” to one of the students, and managed to get the dog off – but the dog turned and attcked another student.
Two teachers managed to get the dog away from students, and shooed the dog out of the school grounds, while an ambulance, police officers and Yarra Ranges Council’s animal rangers arrived at the school.
Students, meanwhile, were evacuated into the building as a lockdown procedure, to ensure their safety.
A girl and a boy from Grade 2, a Grade 4 boy and a teacher all suffered injuries from the dog bites, and the two boys were taken to Dandenong Hospital for stitches.
Mr Coyle told the Mail that the owners of the dog were a family from the school, and that they had been in contact to help support the affected students and staff.
He said some families of the bite victims had also been in contact about the incident, and did not wish the dog to be put down as a result of the incident.
The dog was seized on the day by the Yarra Ranges Council, and an investigation into the incident is being carried out, according to a council spokesperson.
Belgrave police Sergeant Mick Hall attended the incident, and said that any prosecutions on the matter would be undertaken through council.
He said that the incident was a “no win”, with the dog likely to be ordered to be destroyed by the courts.
“You’ve got to feel for them as well,” Sgt Hall said.
“The family involved are traumatised as well – it’s a no-win situation for anybody.”
Mr Coyle said the boys had returned to the hospital on Friday 20 June to assess whether they would need plastic surgery on the puncture wounds.
He praised the teachers on their quick thinking in the incident and said the incident could have escalated without their intervention.
“Those two teachers avoided the situation being a lot worse than it was,” Mr Coyle said.
It is believed that the dog escaped through a gate, which was left open by a family member.
Both students and staff at the school have been offered counselling on the incident.
