A 14 year old girl from Lancashire who was scarred for life after being attacked by a dangerous Rottweiler has received compensation for her injuries with the support of her mother's trade union UNISON.

Louise Macdonald, from Leigh in Lancashire, was playing with a friend at her Grandma’s house nearby. The woman was in the garden with her pet Rottweiller named Keizer. She asked her granddaughter to look after the dog and went inside. The friend had hold of the dog and was straddled over its back. Louise knelt in front of the dog, patting the back of its head. Suddenly the dog pounced and put his paws on her shoulders and bit her on the face and eye.

Personal Injury Specialists, Thompsons Solicitors

Louise’s mother, Gwenn Macdonald, is a member of leading trade union UNISON and brought her claim for compensation with the support of their personal injury specialists Thompsons Solicitors.

Louise’s father, Ralph Macdonald explains: “Louise had to be taken to the Alderhey Hospital in Liverpool where she had 10 stitches. We were all very upset, Louise especially. We blame the dog’s owners - Shannon’s grandparents - for Louise’s accident. They should never have left two young girls alone and in charge of a big, unmuzzled, rottweiler dog. This is not the only incident; many neighbours have seen the dog barking at people in the street and on a couple of occasions when the dog has escaped from the garden and people have attempted to return him, the dog has turned on them.”

The law on people having dangerous dogs in the home needs to change

Jean Heyes, Branch Secretary for UNISON said: “Dangerous dogs are often in the press and Louise Macdonald’s case proves yet again that the law on people having dangerous dogs in the home needs to change. They need to consider the consequences of these animals when they are not properly supervised and when they attack. Incidents like this also highlight the benefits to families of being in a trade union.”

Representing Louise Macdonald, Jill Griffiths from Thompsons Solicitors in Manchester, comments: “A staggering 200,000 dog bites occur each year in the UK, which is unacceptable. Louise Macdonald was bitten by a dog that clearly had a fierce nature and was likely to bite. Its owners should have protected the girls from danger. After the accident, Mr Macdonald was told by neighbours that the dog was being destroyed. However this was not the case and the dog returned back to the property.”