14-12-2023 (SINGAPORE) A day out at Christmas Wonderland in Gardens by the Bay (GBTB) turned distressing for a family after their four-year-old son was allegedly bitten by a dog. The incident, reported on Tuesday (12 Dec) by the boy’s mother on Facebook, has prompted the event’s organisers to issue an advisory for pet owners.
According to the mother, the family was on their way to the snow installation at Christmas Wonderland when her son, unexpectedly, knelt down in distress. Initially thinking he had simply fallen, she later discovered that he had been bitten by a dog.
The mother claims the attack was unprovoked, as her son was merely walking past the dogs. In a Facebook post, she shared a picture of the alleged pet owner holding leashes for a corgi and a dachshund. The attack left bite marks on the child’s upper left thigh, approximately two inches from his groin, and tore a hole about an inch wide in his shorts.
Upon confronting the dog owner, the mother’s husband was allegedly told that they were not liable as the incident occurred in a public space. The owner reportedly refused to exchange contact details and managed to leave the scene despite attempts to restrain her until the police arrived.
The couple reported the incident to the police on the same night but has yet to receive updates. Seeking assistance, the mother turned to Facebook to appeal for information on the dog owner.
Blue Sky Events, the organiser of Christmas Wonderland, expressed regret over the incident but claimed that it had not been brought to their staff’s attention. They urged pet owners to follow regulations, including keeping dogs on leashes in public and muzzling certain breeds.
