An elderly Aberdeen man is in hospital with serious injuries after being mauled by a relative’s XL bully dog.
The 73-year-old was attacked by a male American Bully named Gunna as he and his wife visited a relative’s dogs in their Dyce home while their owners were away on holiday.
It’s understood the pensioner suffered serious injuries to his arms, hands and face and is still in hospital. His wife was also taken to hospital for treatment.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said it was called to an address in Corrennie Circle, Dyce, on Wednesday, adding a crew “transported a male patient in his 70s to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary”.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Around 3pm on Wednesday, 17 January, we received a report of a man being attacked by a dog in the Corrennie Circle area of Aberdeen.
“Emergency services attended and a 73-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
Gunna’s owner, 23-year-old Jack Watson, said his relative has received surgery and the attack had been “a very big shock” for his family.
He revealed that Gunna, whom he had kept for the past two-and-a-half years without incident, was due to be put down at a veterinary practice voluntarily ahead of the weekend.
American XL bully destroyed after dog attack at Dyce home
“It’s my choice to do that,” he said, adding: “It’s a nightmare that I thought would never happen.
“I’ve got an appointment with the vet. I feel upset but it’s for the safety of my own family.”
Asked about his relative’s condition, Jack replied: “He’s going to be okay. He’s getting an operation on his hands but he said he’s going to be okay”.
The OAP was with his wife when the pair entered the relative’s home on Wednesday afternoon and encountered Gunna.
“He just got really excited,” Jack said today. “He’s a reactive dog – he got attacked when he was younger. But he’s never been bad or anything.
“They’ve just came in and he’s not expected it and he’s just jumped out the cage and just started attacking.”
Dyce dog attack comes after ScotGov announced upcoming ban on American XL bullies
Jack’s brother Lewis Watson, 24, was tearful as he processed the horrific incident.
“It’s a hard one to take, he said, explaining: “I wasn’t here. I was actually down in Edinburgh.”
The brothers returned home at 10pm on Thursday night to deal with the aftermath of the dog attack.
It came after a ban on breeding XL bullies came into force in England and Wales, including a legal requirement for owners to muzzle them in public.
From February, it will become a criminal offence south of the border to own one of the controversial breeds without a certificate of exemption.
Owners must also make sure the animals are neutered.
The recent crackdown has prompted some XL bully dog owners to bring theirs to Scotland.
Powers over the list of banned breeds in Scotland rests with the Scottish Government.
First Minister Humza Yousaf had previously claimed a ban was not required due to already strict controls in place.
However, the SNP leader later announced that his government will replicate the ban.
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