BOY,9 MAULED BY PITBULL

Alejandro to undergo more operations to repair damage to his face

- JOHN HAND

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy is lucky to be alive after he was mauled by a pitbull while playing near his home.

Alejandro Mizsan was on a green in the Old Forge Road estate in Enniscorthy, Wexford on Sunday afternoon when he was attacked. His older brother Raul said: "He will never be the same again."

Alejandro's face was ripped apart, with his bottom lip and cheeks torn off along with extensive damage near his left eye.

He has already undergone two surgeries and faces more operations as he recovers.

THE older brother of a nine-year-old boy who was viciously mauled by a pitbull revealed his family’s devastation and said: “He will never be the same again.”

Alejandro Mizsan was playing on a green area of the Old Forge Road estate in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, on Sunday afternoon when he was attacked.

His face was ripped apart, his bottom lip and each of his cheeks torn off, with extensive damage near his left eye. He also suffered serious leg injuries.

The family gave the Irish Mirror pictures of Alejandro and permission to use them which show what damage such dogs can do.

The sustained attack by the unmuzzled animal – which was roaming the estate freely – was only interrupted when heroic neighbours stopped as they drove by.

The mum and her two sons jumped out of the car to scare the dog away and called 999.

After emergency services arrived, the child was brought to nearby GAA grounds where the Irish Coast Guard’s Rescue 117 helicopter airlifted the boy to Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin.

Alejandro underwent emergency surgery on Sunday night before another one yesterday.