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Dog owner charged after girl, 3, suffered life-changing injuries after being bitten by Dobermann 

Woman, 45, is charged with owning dangerously out of control dog after girl, three, suffered life-changing injuries after being bitten by Dobermann

  • Dog attacked girl, three, as she walked home from sweetshop with grandparents 
  • She suffered life-changing injuries as a result of the bite by the Dobermann
  • Incident took place on Botley Drive in Havant, Hampshire at 6.35pm on August 8 
  • Lisa Marie Garner, 45, charged with owning a dangerously out of control dog 

A woman has been charged after her dog left a three-year-old girl with life-changing injuries when it attacked her as she walked home from a sweetshop.

The little girl was with her grandparents on Botley Drive in Havant, Hampshire, just after 6.30pm on August 8 when Lisa Marie Garner’s Dobermann bit her.

She suffered a ‘significant wound’ to her back and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

Garner, 45, was charged with owning a dangerously out of control dog and will appear in court next month. 

The Dobermann has been destroyed by Hampshire Constabulary.

The little girl was attacked by the Dobermann on Botley Drive (pictured) in the town of Havant, Hampshire, just after 6.30pm on August 8

One resident living near where the attack took place said they heard a girl ‘screaming before a neighbour came out and grabbed the dog and kicked it’.

The person, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘It was horrible and a real shock for something like that to happen. It could have been worse.

‘The grandparents are so upset and are blaming themselves. But it’s not their fault.’

The little girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was said to be in good spirits at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth after an operation.

‘She’s still got a smile on her face,’ they added.

The little girl was rushed to the Queen Alexandra Hospital (pictured) in Portsmouth, Hampshire, where she received emergency treatment

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman today said: ‘Officers investigating a serious injury dog bite incident, where a child was left with life changing but not life threatening injuries have charged a 45 year-old woman.

‘At around 6.35pm on Monday August 8, we received a report that a three-year-old girl had been bitten by a dog on Botley Drive, Havant.

‘The girl was taken to the Queen Alexandra hospital for treatment. She is now recovering at home

‘The dog involved, a Dobermann, has since been destroyed by police.

‘As part of our enquiries Lisa Marie Garner of Botley Drive in Havant has been charged with being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

‘She has been bailed to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court.’