Dog attack was a ‘tragic accident’ - grandmother

Jamie Stevenson, a pupil at Carniny Primary School, was being allowed to stroke the dog under controlled conditions as a last day of term treat when it unexpectedly turned on him.

Speaking on Sunday, Madeline Stevenson said ever since the attack, “the entire family have been very upset”.

“But we want to make it very clear no one is being held responsible for what happened,” she said.

“It was not the school’s fault and his parents allowed him to take part.

“Jamie was very upset about it and didn’t want the dog to be put down. That annoyed him and the rest of the family. But apparently nothing could be done about that.

“His teacher came to the house to see Jamie yesterday and they sat and hugged and cried.

“His teacher is like a second mother to him, you see, in school.

“I think it was a cure for him to see his wee teacher to talk about it.”

Mrs Stevenson said her grandson “is a real animal lover”.

“There are three dogs, cats and a rabbit here at home, and I suppose any of those dogs could turn on you the same way,” she added.

“This was just a tragic accident. It was something that happened.

“But there will be no case against the school or anything like that.”

When asked about the extent of Jamie’s injuries, Mrs Stevenson said: “The hospital did a fantastic job on his face and he is so young. So much can be done.“

It is understood the dog, an Alaskan Malamute, had been a trusted family pet for a number of years.

Ballymena Borough Council confirmed the dog had been humanely destroyed.

“Ballymena Borough Council is working alongside all appropriate organisations to carry out a full investigation,” a spokesperson said.

The Health and Safety Executive also confirmed it had launched an investigation.