Girl, 3, Attacked by Cockapoo While Walking Home from School, Owner ‘Just Disappeared,’ Father Says

A 3-year-old girl is recovering after undergoing surgery following a dog attack that left her with a serious arm injury — and her father claims the dog’s owner fled the scene without offering help or identifying herself.

According to Kent Online and the Daily Mail, the incident occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 17, in Rainham, Kent. Bunnie Skinley was walking home with her father, Rowen, and her two siblings around 3:30 p.m. after school when the attack happened on Mierscourt Road, just outside a local elementary school.

“We were walking along the main road near the school,” Rowen recalled. “The path is very narrow. A woman was walking her dog on the road, and then out of nowhere, the dog lunged at my daughter and dragged her to the ground.”

He said the dog tore into Bunnie’s arm, ripping her skin as the owner pulled the dog away. “When she yanked the dog back, it tore [Bunnie’s] skin wide open,” he told Kent Online.

Rowen immediately rushed to his daughter’s aid, holding her skin together to stop the bleeding as bystanders stepped in to help. Witnesses reportedly confirmed that Bunnie had not provoked the dog in any way.

“The woman just walked off,” he said. “She didn’t give her name, didn’t check on my daughter — just vanished.”

Witnesses described the dog as a Cockapoo — a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle, typically known for their gentle temperament and popularity as family pets.

Bunnie was later taken to the hospital, where she underwent plastic surgery on her arm. The procedure was especially concerning due to her pre-existing lung condition and severe asthma.

“She’s doing well now,” Rowen said. “But she’s clearly traumatized and keeps saying how scared she is of dogs.”

Kent Police confirmed that an investigation is underway and are urging anyone with CCTV, doorbell footage, or information about the dog or its owner to come forward.

The incident has reignited conversations around dog safety in the U.K., where laws surrounding dangerous breeds were tightened following a spike in dog attacks. New regulations now ban the breeding, sale, and ownership of certain breeds — including XL Bullies — without official exemption certificates.

For Rowen, the most upsetting part isn’t just the attack itself — it’s the fact the woman left without taking responsibility.

“It’s terrifying to think she could walk away like that,” he said. “What if it happens again — to someone else’s child?”