The gran of a schoolgirl who was left badly scarred in a playpark dog attack says she fears for other families after council bosses confirmed there is only one dog warden serving the whole of Perth and Kinross.
Alyssa MacDonald needed 34 stitches to her face after an incident in the Tulloch area of Perth.
The brave nine-year-old had been trying to protect her younger friend from a large dog.
A group of older boys dragged the animal off her, then formed a circle round her to keep her safe.
Her grandmother Lesley Brown says she has been trying to discuss the outcome with a dog warden, so she can reassure Alyssa it’s safe to go back outside.
But she says she has been told there is just a single warden for the whole of the county – and that the individual responsible is not currently available.
The Courier put Lesley’s concerns to Perth and Kinross Council.
A spokesman responded: “We currently only have one dog control officer and their work is supported by animal welfare officers when necessary.”
Perth and Kinross Council covers an area of 5,300sq km and 151,000 people.
Lesley says one warden is not sufficient if the authority wants to take public safety seriously.
“They should be preventing things like this from happening, not just referring them to the police when something goes wrong” she said.
“It’s bad enough just having one person to cover the whole area. But what happens when they’re off sick or on holiday?
“Does that mean there’s no one?”
Concerns over another Perth dog
Lesley said she wanted to discuss what happened to Alyssa – and to raise concerns about another dog in the neighbourhood.
And she insists she is not trying to demonise any breeds in particular.
She has three dogs, including an XL Bully, at her home in Kinross, and says decent owners will be grateful for advice.
“We are very much aware of the responsibility you have when you own these kinds of dogs,” she said.
“So it really annoys me when I hear of people who don’t.”
Tulloch Primary School pupil Alyssa is recovering from her ordeal at the end of May.
Her mum Tanisha, 26, was also injured when she hauled the animal away from her other daughter, Julie, 3.
Alyssa was taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for surgery to three deep wounds on her face.
Police later confirmed officers were called to a report of a dog attacking two girls in the Tulloch Park area of Perth on May 31.
They said the dog had been removed to kennels and a 63-year-old man would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with dangerous dog offences.
A £500 GoFundMe to treat Alyssa and her little friend to a day out was launched after the incident. It has so far raised £800.
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