The father of 2-year-old Leo, who was killed after being mauled by a pit bull in the village of Agios Leontas on Zakynthos, has spoken publicly in deep grief.
The dog, which was kept chained in the family’s yard, had been rescued by the father months earlier, after he found it abandoned and in extremely poor condition on the road.
Speaking to Mega, he described the horrific moments that unfolded:
“Which parent doesn’t adore their children? My daughter screamed and I ran. I didn’t hear anything else… I don’t remember anything else. I picked up Leo, he looked at me, he smiled at me, and then he just closed his eyes.”
The pit bull had been under temporary care at the family home until someone could adopt it. The father said he rescued the animal because hunters frequently abandoned dogs in the area.
“I picked up this dog because it was dying. And it killed my son,” he said in anguish.
Dog placed in shelter – Committee to decide its fate
The pit bull is currently being kept in an animal shelter following a prosecutor’s order.
The Mayor of Zakynthos, Giorgos Stasinopoulos, told state broadcaster ERT:
“From tomorrow, the dog will be handed over to a veterinarian for monitoring.”
A five-member committee from Patras will soon review the case to determine whether the dog should be euthanised or placed permanently in a protected facility.
“Right now, nobody knows exactly what happened or how the child ended up losing his life,” Stasinopoulos added.
