WAKEFIELD, England, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A pet Rottweiler was put down after fatally mauling a 1-year-old boy in Britain.
A police spokesman in Wakefield said that after the boy's mother found her child seriously injured following the Friday attack, the Rottweiler was killed to avoid any further incidents, The Guardian reported Saturday.
"After the dog released the child and he was taken to hospital, a police marksman who was in the vicinity destroyed the dog to ensure the safety of others," the unidentified spokesman said.
Police said the boy had been playing in the backyard of a relative's home at the time of the canine attack. No reason was given for the dog's aggressive behavior.
The Guardian said the fatal attack came nearly a year after a pit bull terrier fatally mauled a 5-year-old girl in St. Helen's.
That attack also resulted in the dog's death and jail time for its owner, who had owned the dog illegally.
