A toddler nearly lost his eyes after he was savaged by a pet hawk that swooped down and gouged his face as he had fun in a playground.
Alfie Hall, two, was with his mother Elysia in Farnborough, Hampshire, when the bird of prey attacked him after its teenage handler lost control.
The Harris Hawk, with a 4ft wingspan and razor-sharp beak and claws, tore at his face and ripped at his ear, which had to be glued back together in hospital.
Terrible: Covered in blood with scratches and tears all over his face, brave Alfie Hall just after being attacked by a hawk
‘It was really frightening. The bird looked so big and powerful as it swooped down on my son’s head,’ mother Elysia told The Sun.
‘There was blood everywhere. The bird ripped several chunks out of his head, including a big gash right next to his eye which needed stitches. The doctors told us he was lucky not to lose his sight.
‘My brother ran over shouting and screaming, trying to scare the bird away, while I rushed to Alfie. He was totally shocked, his eye was swollen and I could see his ear was badly injured too.’
Attacker: A teenager lost control of his Harris Hawk (pictured in the wild), which then went for the toddler’s face and ears
Alfie was then rushed to hospital, where he was given a anaesthetic and kept overnight, meanwhile the 18-year-old was arrested and released on bail, Hampshire Police said.
Recovery: Still bearing the scars of the attack, Alfie is beginning to get over the attack
There are growing concerns that birds like this one are being used as ‘status pets’ in the same way dangerous and violent dogs have been.
However, unlike some dogs, there is no law banning their use in public places.
Alfie’s mother said he saw the teenage owner beforehand with the bird on his glove, but it then flew to a tree, ignoring his calls, and then swooped to attack her two-year-old son.
Meanwhile the owner of a Jack Russell that had its tongue ripped out by a hawk faces a legal battle to have the bird of prey destroyed.
Ian Farquhar’s four-year-old Jack Russell is still being treated for his horrific injuries a week after being attacked by a harrier hawk in Dundee.
Colin Kirk, the owner of the hawk, initially said he would “respect” Mr Farquhar’s demand for the bird to be destroyed.
But Mr Farquahar claims Mr Kirk’s position is now that he will only put the hawk down if ordered to do so by a court.
He said: ‘I’ll have to go through the proper procedures to get the bird destroyed- that’s fine by me.
‘I am taking this guy all the way.’
Ollie was attacked by the bird on a patch of waste ground between Douglas and Whitfield as he enjoyed a walk with his owner last Friday.
His tongue was so badly damage, vets had no option but to remove it.
