Parents for Dog Bite Awareness

This is an update on a 2022 pediatric fatality case from New South Wales in Australia. Despite the attack occurring in 2022, it took until 2024 for the Australian government to begin an inquest.

Say hello to Jyedon Pollard.

At 2 years old, he was staying at a hotel with his mom and siblings. They were placed here temporarily by the NSW Department of Community and Justice. His case is a reminder that dog maulings are directly connected to cycles of poverty and systemic issues with our government infrastructure.

Jyedon was outside in front of their temporary housing with his mom and siblings playing together when his 5 year old sister needed a drink of water. Thinking they were in a safe place, his mom ran inside to grab a cup of water. When she got back outside, she was alarmed to see a man running towards her, holding her limp son covered in blood.

CCTV footage showed little Jyedon as he toddled off to the main area of the building. A curious toddler, he was caught playing with the latch to the swimming pool, 🏊‍♀️ but it was securely locked. Then he tried the latch to the motel owner’s two dogs, a Rottweiler and a “Heeler cross.” That latch wasn’t secured.

The ensuing mauling that occurred was severe, causing deep puncture wounds across his head, neck, and chest. The owner then stumbled over Jyedon’s small body in a pool of blood with his dogs 🐕 nearby and began yelling to call an ambulance.

First an ambulance arrived to transport Jyedon. But due to the severity of his injuries, he was life flighted to a trauma level hospital. Life flights are a common necessity when high risk dogs attack, a reminder that they possess the innate capability to cause severe damage.

Sadly, Jyedon did not survive. 😞

The forensic pathologists concluded that Jyedon passed due to multiple dog bites penetrating the head and neck.

Although no official report exists on the history of the dogs, at least one attack had occurred prior to this fatal mauling, as a neighbor’s dog required veterinary treatment after the motel owner’s dogs attacked it earlier that year.

The mother 👩 has not been identified as the case is ongoing. She did release these statements:

“I will do as much as I can while I am living, and I will live on for Jyedon. I want the community to remember him as a person, not a victim.”

RIP Little Jyedon,
-JL DBA Editor©️

News article:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-23/family-of-jyedon-pollard-inquest-cowra-dog-attack/103504246https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-23/family-of-jyedon-pollard-inquest-cowra-dog-attack/103504246