Vicious: The girl was attacked by a German Shepherd that was being exercised in the park (file picture)A four-year-old girl was attacked by a police dog as she played in a park.
Erika Galiano was dragged to the floor and bitten on the arm by the German Shepherd who was being walked by his handler.
Police have launched an investigation into the attack at Kismet Park in Canvey Island, Essex.
The dog, which has not been named, has been suspended from its duties while the probe is carried out.
Erika's mother, Kerry, 25, said: 'We were walking through the park.
'Erika was playing and ran just out of sight for a second, then I heard this terrible scream and we rushed over.
'What has upset me the most is that the dog was meant to protect my daughter not hurt her.
'If she wasn't wearing a thick jacket and jumper, the damage would have been worse.'
David Mills, 55, who witnessed the attack at 7pm on Easter Sunday, added: 'The dog flew straight towards the little girl, bit her arm and dragged her to the ground screaming.'
Erika was rushed to Southend Hospital where medics examined her.
The dog's powerful jaws had torn a hole in her pink padded coat and left her with severe bruising on her right forearm.
Luckily, the animal's teeth had not punctured the skin.
Playground: Kismet Park in Canvey Island, Essex, where the girl had been playingDonna Veasey, from Essex Police, said the German Shepherd had been taken off its duties while an investigation was carried out.
She said: 'A thorough investigation is being carried out by the force's professional standards department after a young girl was bitten on the arm by a police dog, which was off-duty with its handler in a park on Canvey.
'The dog will not be deployed operationally while the investigation is concluded.'
source :dailymail
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