There are growing calls for American Staffordshire terriers to be banned after two vicious attacks in just a matter of hours, leaving a newborn baby dead.
The Central Coast community was rocked on Sunday after a family pet mauled a five-day-old boy to death in his own home after it escaped the neighbour's yard in Kariong.
The dog has since been euthanised, as reports emerge it recently mauled another dog in the backyard of another family's home.
Just hours later, in a separate incident, another American Staffordshire terrier savagely attacked a couple walking their groodle dog in Western Sydney.
Owner Damien Aggio and his wife Tina were strolling down the street in Pemulwuy at about 12pm with their beloved Peaches when 'out of the blue,' the 'killer' breed dog appeared.
It had escaped it's harness and ran across the street before its owner could stop it.
Owner Damien Aggio and his wife Tina (pictured with injuries from the dog attack) were strolling down the street in Pemulwuy at about 12pm with their beloved Peaches when 'out of the blue,' the 'killer' dog appeared
There are growing calls for American Staffordshire terriers to be banned after two vicious attacks in just a matter of hours, leaving a newborn baby dead (stock images)
'I heard the owner yelling, "watch out" and I saw this big dog running across the road straight towards us,' he told Nine News.
'It all happened so quickly. I tried to pick up our dog, but it was too late. The big dog had latched onto her by then.
'I was trying to wrestle it off. I was kicking and punching and I had my thumbs in its eyeballs. But it all made no difference.'
Mr Aggio said it took five people to pull the American Staffordshire off the Groodle which was left with horrific injuries and remains in a critical condition after four hours of surgery costing $6,000.
With severe wounds to her hindquarters, vets were uncertain if Peaches would make it through the night, but the brave pooch managed to survive.
Cumberland City Council have now seized the American Staffordshire and police are investigating the incident.
