Published: Wednesday, 14th October, 2009 3:00pm

Child, 4, mauled

by Julie Gilbert

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RECOVERING: Kenan with dad Robert

A FOUR-year-old boy was mauled by a neighbour's dog while playing with his pal.

Kenan Dearie was in a friend's bedroom when the husky type dog, believed to be an Alaskan Malamute, got in and bit him repeatedly.

The boy's cheek, neck, shoulder, ear and head were all extensively damaged and he needed plastic surgery.

His dad, Robert, 38, and mum Jackie, 34, were horrified when they saw their injured child being rushed to them in their neighbour's arms minutes after the attack.

Robert, from Parkhall, told the Post: "The owner of the dog ran over and was kicking the door of our house.

"She had a blue towel over Kenan's face which was removed to reveal a huge hole in the centre of his cheek. I just screamed and phoned the ambulance and police. He went away in the ambulance to Yorkhill with his mum.

"It was awful walking in to the hospital and seeing Kenan lying in his mum's arms with a huge hole in his face.

"The dog had grabbed him by the neck and the shoulder.

"Its teeth went right through his ear and doctors had to put a packing into his ear. And it scratched all around the outside of his ear."

Kenan will have long-term problems with the pigmentation in his skin, but his parents praised the work of the plastic surgeon in saving his face as best he could.

Police confirmed they were called to the incident in Barrie Quadrant, Parkhall around 2.45pm on September 22.

The dog was put down just hours later.