7-day-old baby girl loses hand, in critical condition after pet dog attack

MELAKA: A pet dog mauled a baby girl, causing the seven-day-old child to lose her right hand.

Melaka CID chief Asst Comm Mohd Nor Yhazid Idris said the incident occurred at a house in Bachang here on Tuesday (Sept 8).

He said in the 10am incident, the child's aunty brought her out to get some sunlight after the baby had developed jaundice.

"The child was in her cradle placed near the front grille of the house," he said on Friday (Sept 11), adding that the baby girl was the couple's first child.

ACP Mohd Nor said the aunty then went back inside to make arrangements to bathe the baby.

"However, she heard the baby crying and saw the dog viciously attacking the child," he said.

He said the aunty panicked and started screaming for help.

At the time, the child's father was on the upper floor tending to his wife who was still in confinement.

"The baby, who was covered in a pool of blood, was rushed to a private hospital before being referred to the Melaka Hospital.

"The child was later referred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital and is still in critical condition," he said.

He added that the case would be investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.

ACP Mohd Nor said the canine that attacked the baby was a Plott hound, a large breed said to have been originally bred to hunt bears.