THE heartbroken mother of a child killed by a dangerous dog is taking her fight for a change in the law to Parliament.
Emma Whitfield, the Caerphilly mother of ten-year-old Jack Lis who was killed by a dangerous dog, is visiting Westminster next week to meet with MPs.
In a visit arranged by Caerphilly MP Wayne David, Ms Whitfield will go to Parliament on Tuesday, March 28. She will meet MPs at a drop-in session. The RSPCA, the Dogs Trust and a number of dog behaviouralist organisations will also be present.
Ms Whitfield will be meeting a number of politicians from all political parties and hopes to build a cross-party consensus on the introduction of more appropriate and effective dog legislation.
Ms Whitfield said she wants to raise awareness of such a distressing case.
“I am pleased to be visiting Parliament to speak with MPs and raise awareness about the problems with the current dangerous dog laws." said Emma.
"I want to make sure that what happened to my son Jack can never happen again.”
Emma Whitfield tragically lost her son Jack to a dog attack
Mr David added: “I believe there is a potential political agreement on how the law on dangerous dogs could be radically changed for the better. All political parties need to make this a priority.
“Emma is incredibly brave to be coming to London to do this. It obviously means a lot to her, and I am sure that Parliamentarians will listen closely to what she has to say.
"Emma is also speaking at a large event in Parliament in June on the issue of dog bites.
The dog went for Jack’s face and neck in Caerphilly attack
Jack Lis was killed at a house in Penyrheol, Caerphilly on November 8, 2021, by an American XL Bully named Beast – which weighed more than eight stone by the time it was 15 months old.
The animal was later shot dead by armed police officers.
Speaking on BBC One’s Panorama, Jack’s mum Emma Whitfield said she is unable to shake the last image of her 10-year-old son being what she saw after the fatal attack.
“Jack had met his friend straight after leaving the house. His friend said ‘Do you want to come and see my new dog?’.
“Within maybe 10-15 minutes of that, my door knocked.
“A lady asked if I was Jack's mum. I said yes.
“She said ‘He’s been attacked by a dog’.
“I just jumped in the car. I pulled up outside the house. You could hear the dog barking.
“The dog tried running through the door, and that’s how I saw the dog’s face.”
She said that the dog had only attacked Jack’s face and neck.
“I can't say out loud what else I saw, because I don't want other people to have to picture it.
“Every time I shut my eyes I try and tell myself that’s not the last image that I’ve got of him."
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