Killer dog to be examined by vets

The pet dog, which weighed "in the region of seven to 10 stone", killed Archie-Lee Hirst at his grandparents' home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Friday.

The two-and-a-half year old female rottweiler was used to children and the attack was completely unexpected, police said.

The toddler was spending Christmas at the house in Wakefield when the dog launched the attack.

Archie-Lee was being carried to the back door by his seven-year-old aunt when the rottweiler snatched him out of her arms. He died later in hospital despite his 16-year-old aunt's brave attempt to save him from the dog's jaws.

Speaking at the inquest into Archie-Lee's death at Wakefield Coroner's Court, Detective Superintendent Steve Payne said: "We have got no reported incidents where this dog attacked someone previously.

"The dog was used to the family and had interacted with Archie before. Unfortunately for some reason the dog snatched Archie from the arms of the seven-year-old."

A vet will try to establish why the animal, which was shot dead by a police marksman, acted so aggressively.

"We have got to establish that there is no abnormality in the dog which caused this tragic incident," Det Supt Payne said.

Vets will carry out toxicology tests and also establish the exact breed of the dog during Thursday's examination.