A three-year-old boy remains in hospital after he was attacked by a large dog while riding his bike in Newcastle on Tuesday.
The boy was riding his bicycle on Antill Street in Mayfield about 6.30pm when a dog from a nearby property ran at the child and attacked him.
The three-year-old suffered injuries to his face, neck and upper back, and was treated at the scene by paramedics.
Police were told the dog involved in the attack was a great Dane.
Photo: Peter RaeHe was then taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition, and his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
The dog retreated to its property after the attack. A police spokeswoman said officers at the scene were told it was a great Dane.
Inquiries by local police and the council are continuing.
The latest dog attack comes just three days after a baby girl was mauled to death by a dog in northern NSW.
One-year-old Kamillah suffered critical injuries after she was attacked by a rottweiler at an Inverell home on Saturday afternoon.
Police and paramedics rushed to the scene and began treated the girl, however she died on the way to hospital.
The dog was seized by council rangers following the incident, and on Tuesday police said the dog had been put down.
Police investigations into that incident were continuing, and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
About 3430 dog attacks were reported to NSW councils in 2017. More than 300 of those involved children under 16.
No human deaths were recorded across the state last year, but the baby girl's death comes about six months after an ACT woman was killed by her pet pitbull last October.
Rachel Clun is a reporter at the Sydney Morning Herald. She was previously a reporter with the Brisbane Times and Domain.
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