Northern Ireland

'Never leave a child alone with a dog,' coroner warns after boy (10) mauled to death by pet German Shepherd

Ryan Busa (left) with his father Marek Busa.
Ryan Busa (left) with his father Marek Busa. Ryan Busa (left) with his father Marek Busa.

A CORONER has warned of the dangers of leaving children alone with dogs after an inquest found a 10-year-old boy was mauled to death by his family's pet German Shepherd.

Ryan Busa, from Glengormley in Newtownabbey, died at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children on October 15, 2017.

Ryan's father Marek Busa, who is originally from Slovakia, found Ryan covered in blood in the kitchen of their home after he was bitten by the pet dog, named Max.

During the final day of the inquest at Newtownards Courthouse yesterday, coroner Suzanne Anderson found that the schoolboy had died from neck injuries sustained in the attack.

The inquest heard that on the morning of Ryan's death Mr Busa arrived back from a night shift in Tesco around 6am and let Max into the garden to go to the toilet.

Mr Busa then had breakfast with his two young sons, who lived with him at the family home in Glengormley, before going to bed. When he woke again around noon he found Ryan lying unconscious in the kitchen.

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He carried out CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Ryan, a pupil at Ashgrove Primary School, was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Mr Busa's relationship with their mother had broken down several years earlier.

The inquest heard evidence from animal behaviour expert Sandra Gilliland who compiled a report for police after she observed Max in boarding kennels a few days following the fatal attack.

She said Max appeared "grossly underweight" for an adult male German Shepherd and was suffering from a skin condition that resulted in some hair loss. She told the inquest Max had displayed "fearful" body language and was visibly trembling but showed no signs of aggression.

Ms Gilliland acknowledged that Max was probably suffering stress by being moved to kennels after the attack.

She said police had told her that Max was confined to the house and garden and was fed half a tin of dog food a day plus some scraps.

Her report stated that the recommended amount of food for a dog of Max's size, according to a leading dog food manufacturer, was more than three tins a day.

However, she agreed with Mr Busa's barrister Seamus McIlroy who pointed out that she had only been in contact with police and had had no information about Max from Mr Busa or his lawyers.

The inquest also heard excerpts from a report by Professor Lorenzo Ressel, from the University of Liverpool, who carried out an examination of Max's body after the dog was euthanised.

He described Max as being "in good body condition" and showing "no clear signs of neglect or injuries".

Ms Anderson extended her sympathies to Mr Busa.

Describing it as a "tragic case" she said there was a "real public interest in hearing the facts".

"The most vital advice given is never leave a baby, toddler or child alone with a dog no matter how reliable they think they are," she said.