The incident took place in Liverpool on Saturday when the boy went to visit a friend’s house. The young victim was reportedly attacked by a dog in Wellesbourne Place, Norris Green. A neighbor came to the boy’s aid and managed to pull the dog off him.
Despite the heroic efforts of his rescuer, the boy suffered serious injuries and was rushed to hospital.
He is still in a serious but stable condition.
The dog was seized by police who also arrested a 31-year-old woman in connection with the attack.
Detective Inspector Chris Hawitt said: “This incident left a young child with serious injuries to his face and head, and will have been an extremely harrowing incident for all who witnessed it.
“I would like to commend the neighbor whose quick thinking and selfless quick actions probably saved the life of this young boy, who suffered life-changing injuries.
“Our investigation into the full circumstances of the incident is ongoing and we have seized the dog for community safety and to establish its breed.
“We have a dedicated sergeant who goes through all cases involving dangerous dogs and is happy to speak to any witnesses who have seen the incident or this dog on previous occasions.
“I want to emphasize that dog owners should be mindful of their dogs’ behavior at all times, especially if there are young children around the dog.
“And if owners take their dogs into public areas, they should keep their pet on a leash and muzzled if it can be aggressive.”