A young boy attacked by a dog while picking daisies outside a Wodonga home will likely have ongoing trauma from the incident, a court has heard.
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The four-year-old had been outside Katie Smith's Waratah Way home, next to Tooley Park, when he was set upon on October 4 last year.
The child had been with his family at the park and was picking the flowers when Smith's two American Staffordshire Terriers broke free of ropes holding them to a tree at her property.
At least one of the dogs rushed the boy and bit his leg while shaking him as Smith and a friend tried to pull the dog off.
It again attacked, biting the boy's back before the ordeal was stopped and the boy sent to Albury Base Hospital.
He needed urgent surgery for his serious injuries, including bite marks and skin tears.
The Wodonga Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday the outcome could have been far worse.
Smith, who was visibly upset by the ordeal at the scene and expressed her remorse to the court, freely agreed to have both dogs put down, even though it was unclear if both or only one was involved.
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The dogs had been tied up with heavy duty rope and she was unsure how they managed to break free.
She had applied first aid to the boy before paramedics arrived and helped remove the dogs from the home.
"It was such an unfortunate incident for all concerned," defence lawyer Chirag Patel said.
"It's accepted these were serious injuries that this young child suffered, thankfully not far worse."
Magistrate Felicity Broughton agreed.
"It could have been devastating, especially with the two dogs there," she said.
Smith was charged by Wodonga Council and the animals were euthanised five days after the incident.
Mr Patel said the boy would have suffered mental trauma on top of his physical injuries.
Smith was placed on an adjourned undertaking to be of good behaviour and ordered to pay $127.40 in council costs.
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