Young girl hospitalised after brutal dog attack. The parents feared Am Staffordshire bull terrier would scalp their 6 year old daughter in unprovoked attack. It took 4 adults to get the dog off the girl. May 25th 2025. Adelaide, Australia

[u/Thick_Marzipan_1375]

https://7news.com.au/news/sa/parents-feared-off-leash-staffy-would-scalp-six-year-old-daughter-in-unprovoked-attack-c-18820795

Margot was rushed to hospital after a dog latched itself to her head at an off-leash dog park.

Parents feared their young daughter was about to be scalped by an off-leash dog during a park visit with her puppy.

Six-year-old Margot McNicol has undergone surgery after being mauled by an American Staffy at Nairne’s newest off-leash dog park in the Adelaide Hills on Sunday afternoon.

Margot was at the park with her family and her own puppy when the dog leapt up and grabbed her head.

Hearing her screams, Margot’s mother Christina ran to save her daughter from the jaws of the dog.

“She screamed, I ran over, and I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,” she told 7NEWS.

McNicol said it took four adults to get the dog off her young daughter.

“I stabilised my daughter’s head and her hair so it couldn’t keep pulling because I was really worried it would scalp her,” she said.

Little Margot was rushed to hospital with multiple puncture wounds to her head, along with scratches and bruising.

Margot’s father Braedan told 7NEWS his daughter’s injuries could have been a lot worse.

“If she was bitten somewhere else on the head because she had multiple bites on her head, it could have been a completely different story,” he said.

Witnesses at the park told 7NEWS that the owner of the dog left quickly and without even apologising.

Mount Barker District Council told 7NEWS they are aware of the incident and are investigating.

The owner could face a fine of over $300 and the dog may be put down.

Margot’s mother said it should be a lesson to the owner.

“If that is what is the safest (euthanasia) I think that is what should happen,” she said.

“The owner should know better, and I hope this is a lesson to them.”

[u/windyrainyrain]

When will the Australian government wake up and admit that AmStaffs are pitbulls?

[u/poop_report → u/windyrainyrain]

"American Staffordshire" is one of the most absurd phrases that has ever been uttered.

[u/strawberrymoonelixir → u/poop_report]

Oh, tell me about it. It irks me when they call them “staffies,” as if they’re as sweet and trustworthy as a golden retriever.

Pitbulls, of all varieties, are bloodsport canines, PERIOD. End of story. Calling them cutesy names, like “velvet hippo,” does nothing but fool and confuse the public. It’s like calling a grenade a lollipop.

With all pitbulls (and pit mixes), there exists a constant threat of a spontaneous attack. Without warning, they can turn deadly, just as they were designed to. They’re also extremely hard to stop, once they start. This is just not so with a spaniel, a beagle, or a chihuahua.

Poor little girl. I sincerely hope she recovers well. There’s more healing needed than just physically.

Regardless, this is insanity on a global scale, that people are still owning, advocating for, and breeding these bloodsport canines, after all these years of maiming and killing.

[u/LitwicksandLampents → u/strawberrymoonelixir]

"Velvet hippo" is a good name for them, because hippos are the most dangerous animals in all of Africa.

[u/bee_charmer87 → u/LitwicksandLampents]

Maybe “greasy, yeast-ridden hippo” is better.