‘The dog tore the face off him,’ says father of boy, 8, attacked by dog in Limerick

Mr Flynn said the death of 23-year-old Nicole Morey, who was mauled to death by her dogs last Tuesday night, prompted him to go public about the dog attack on his son, and to warn the public to be vigilant of any type of dog.

Mr Flynn said the dog that attacked his son was not a large dog, nor one that appeared to be on any restrictive breed lists.

However, he warned the terrier-type dog caused serious damage to his son’s face and the attack has “traumatised” him as well and his six-year-old sister who also witnessed the attack in the People’s Park in Limerick city.

“We love going to the People’s Park, it’s great, the staff there and the park rangers are brilliant, and my young lad loved dogs and he always asked to pet a dog in the park, and he would give them a fast rub and let the dog lick his face,” Mr Flynn explained.

However, the family’s afternoon stroll in the park turned into a nightmare when the dog latched onto the boy’s face when he tried to pet the animal.

“There was a black terrier type of dog, some mad mixed breed, and my son went over and put his hand down to rub the dog. The dog was sitting down without a leash, with his tongue hanging out, and he (my son) went to rub the dog and the dog just locked onto his face.

The dog tore the face off him. I’m not a religious person but I’m still thankful because if the dog got him (my son) in the neck and hit a vital vein, he might have bled out. 

Jackson underwent reconstructive facial surgery at University Hospital Limerick after the attack.

“When I had him (my son) cuddled into my hip and had his bite covered with a jumper, the dog started going for other people, and screaming at other dogs,” Mr Flynn said.

“The dog was going for everybody, barking and screaming. The dog bit him, and locked onto him, and then the dog let go and ran off.

“We got an awful fright, it was so traumatic, my daughter was screaming, my kids don’t ever want to look at a dog again.” 

Mr Flynn said the park staff had said there was an ongoing issue with people not keeping their dogs on a leash.

“The amount of dogs in the park is unnatural, there is a lot of people that, fair enough, just walk around with their dog on a leash and collect their dog’s poo in plastic bags, but there are other (owners) that are not abiding by the rules at all.

“How lucky were we? God forbid the next family isn’t as lucky, because it is going to happen again.

“The People’s Park is not a dog park, there are dog parks in other areas where owners can release the dogs in a safe environment where there are barriers made of diamond wire.” 

Mr Flynn praised staff at University Hospital Limerick for their “brilliant” response and treatment of his son.

“When they saw the injuries on his face they knew he wouldn’t have been able to take the stitches so they said they would have to perform surgery.

“They cleaned (the wounds) up and I couldn’t say anything good enough about the place, they were brilliant out there.” 

Jackson now has 30 stitches and is still in pain. The young boy had always wanted a dog but after the incident does not want to be near them anymore.

Mr Flynn warned parents: “Don’t let your child go near a dog because you don’t know about the dog. Think twice.” Asked if he would be in favour of banning certain dogs from Ireland, he said it would be better if owners were more educated about managing their dogs.

“Their owners need to treat them right, the dog might have psychological problems, so people need to be very wise keeping dogs, especially after what is after happening to that woman (Nicole Morey).” 

He suggested owners of dogs should have to complete a course in managing a dog before they are allowed to own one.

It was a terrier that did it to my son, so I think it should be all types of dogs, they can turn on you.

“It’s up to the owners, abide by the rules, it’s crazy, and, go to parks that are designated dog parks.

“Ninety-five per cent of dogs are good dogs and 95% of owners of dogs are good owners,” he said.

Meanwhile, gardaí at Roxboro Road, Limerick have appealed for information about the dog attack on Ms Morey.

When gardaí arrived at Ms Morey’s house in Fedamore late Tuesday night they encountered four aggressive dogs.

A member of the armed Garda Emergency Response Unit (ERU) shot one of the dogs and three others had to be restrained.

It is understood Ms Morey was killed by her pet XL Bully dog. Videos circulating online show her dancing with a similar type of dog, and friends and family said she had treated the animals “like her children”.

Ms Morey’s family will hold a vigil in her memory and release balloons into the sky on Thursday evening.

On Wednesday, gardaí asked the public not to share video footage of the fatal dog attack, which was apparently recorded on a security camera at the scene, and which was circulating on social media.

According to a death notice published online, Ms Morey, of Bawnmmore View, Crossagalla, Limerick City, was recently pre-deceased by her grandparents Patrick O’Donnell Senior and Marie Morey, and is survived by her parents Lisa and Patrick, step-parents Joseph and Nicola, as well as brothers, sisters and extended family and friends.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out on Ms Morey’s remains at UHL.

Gardaí notified the office of the Limerick City and County Coroner to arrange for an inquest hearing into determining the cause of her death.