Seventeen-day-old baby dies after dog bite in Spain

A NEW-BORN baby has died from injuries sustained from a bite from the family’s pet dog in Spain.
Emergency services were immediately called to the scene but were unable to save the baby’s life.
The new-born child was 17-days-old when he suffered a dog bite by the family’s pet Belgian Shepherd dog.
It is understood that the dog bit the infant child on the head but was then immediately separated from the baby.
Two ambulances rushed to the scene of the incident and were soon joined by a local doctor.
However, attempts to resuscitate the baby for half-an-hour failed as the severity of his injuries proved fatal.
The tragic incident happened at the family’s home in the La Zarza area of the Arafo municipality, on the Canary Island of Tenerife.
Mayor of Arafo, Damián Pérez has spoken regarding the incident and has stressed that Belgian Shepherd is not considered a “dangerous animal”.
He added that he was informed the family pet had never shown signs of violence before the incident and that the dog did not attack the Guardia Civil when they arrived to capture it.
He stated that, at present, local authorities “do not understand what happened”.
A police investigation is being conducted to find out how the tragic events transpired.
The Belgian Shepherd is a breed of medium-to-large-sized herding dog. It originated in Belgium and is similar to other sheep herding dogs from that region, including the Dutch Shepherd, the German Shepherd, the Briard, and others.