Mum of boy, 10, mauled to death by dog admits ‘torture’ over flashbacks as she demands law change

Emma Whitfield said “enough is enough” as she called for tougher dog laws
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A mum whose 10-year-old boy died after being mauled by a dog has said she is still plagued by flashbacks of the attack as she demands a change in the law.

Emma Whitfield, 32, lost her son Jack after an attack by an XL Bully - a breed developed from the American pit bull terrier - in November 2021 in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, near Caerphilly, South Wales. The XL Bully is not recognised as an official breed by the UK’s Kennel Club.

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Ms Whitfield described her memories of the incident as “torture” and is now calling for “Jack Lis Law”, which would introduce stricter policing on dog owners and breeders, saying “enough is enough”.

Jack Lis died at the age of 10 after being mauled by a dog (Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire)Jack Lis died at the age of 10 after being mauled by a dog (Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire)
Jack Lis died at the age of 10 after being mauled by a dog (Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire)

Recalling the attack, she told the Daily Mirror: “I still have terrible flashbacks. I still see the animal and its teeth. I hear the barking. You relive it multiple times a day – it’s torture. I still find it unbelievable. Sat on the sofa or on the way home, it hits you all over again.”

The dog’s owner Brandon Hayden, then 19, was sentenced to just over four years at a young offenders’ institution in June 2022, while Amy Salter, then 29, was jailed for three years after they pleaded guilty to being in charge of the out of control dog, which was named Beast.

A further 15 people have lost their lives in dog attacks in the 18 months since the death of 10-year-old Jack Lis, including an 83-year-old woman in Caerphilly, while there were nearly 22,000 cases of injuries from out of control dogs in 2022.

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Ms Whitfield said: “Enough is enough. This has to stop. It’s mind-blowing how it keeps happening. It should never have happened to Jack but why has nobody learned from this? Innocent people are dying. The government needs to act now. It’s out of control and there are people losing their kids because of this. I want to stop this happening.”

The 32-year-old claims that certain dogs have become “status symbols”, but says not all breeders or owners need policing under new legislation.

“To me it is no different than having a lethal weapon,” she explained. “My problem is with backyard breeders who don’t care where the dogs go. There is no reason why a dog needs to sell for £10,000 to go into a family home.”

Ms Whitfield is also calling for tougher sentences as Ms Salter could possibly be released from prison before the end of the year. She added: “She only missed one Christmas when we have lost a lifetime of them.”

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The campaign for the “Jack Lis Law” is backed by the Mirror, the Dog Control Coalition – which includes the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – and Caerphilly’s Labour MP Wayne David. They are all calling for a different approach to dog legislation which includes all dogs and focuses on breeding, training and the sale of dogs.

Describing the problem as an epidemic, Mr David, who has previously called for the reintroduction of dog licences, said: “We have to ask who is next? There can be no doubt that radical reform is needed to dog law. This will only happen when everyone who is concerned pulls together.

“I’m quoting the police when I say there is more money in selling dogs for some criminals than selling drugs. I’m determined to see this issue addressed by the government as soon as humanly possible.”

RSPCA head of companion animals Dr Samantha Gaines added: “The Dangerous Dogs Act has failed to protect the public from the risk of bites, we want a new approach. It is also essential measures are available to deter and punish owners of dogs whose behaviour is dangerous.”

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