"YOU never think this kind of thing is going to happen to you."

Those were the heart-breaking words of Emma Whitfield, who lost her son Jack Lis in November 2021 in Caerphilly to a dog attack from an XL bully dog.

Ms Whitfield was recounting the horrific moment she found out her son had been mauled to death by an XL bully dog called Beast. 

After letting Jack go out on his skateboard after school one evening, she got the phone call no parent should ever get. 

Last week she travelled to Downing Street where she met Rishi Sunak and told him her story.

Telling Mr Sunak her horrific story she said: "I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t him in there. 

"Through the window I saw paramedics and armed police arrive. I can’t remember what  happened next, but I remember being in the street and hearing gunshots. I found out later the animal had been shot dead by firearms officers after the attack. 

"I watched the paramedics walk away to grab a blanket. I think that was the moment I realised that Jack was gone."

Ms Whitfield, who explained how she was asked to identify Jack from his shoe, said she "collapsed on the street" as she tried to leave the stranger's house where she been waiting for the police. 

She said: "We were waiting for what felt like an eternity for a senior officer to come and speak to us, but I can barely remember what she said.

"There are parts of that day which are still a blur, I don’t think I’ll ever remember clearly what happened."

She was given the Points of Light award for her campaign for better regulations which has helped result in the ban of XL bully dogs by Mr Sunak when they met in Westminster last week. 

Posting on her X account about the meeting last week on Thursday, she described it as "bittersweet" and welcomed the ban. 

She added: "I stayed true to myself and more importantly, true to Jack. We spoke about my thoughts on the ban and the things my campaigning had asked for.

"I was glad that the things I had said were heard, the work I’d been doing was recognised, but at the same time I was still feeling pain, as ultimately the reason I was there was because I’d lost Jack.

"I love you Jack, everything I say and do is for you."

The ban on XL bully dogs came into force on January 31, which mean it is now a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate, meaning unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted. 

Mr Sunak also posted on X about their meeting, saying: "I recently met Emma Whitfield, whose son Jack was tragically killed by an XL Bully.

"Her story was utterly heart-breaking, and a stark reminder of why the ban of this breed is so important."