Police have launched an investigation after reports that a four-year-old girl was bitten by an XL bully dog on a river footpath.
The girl was by the River Irwell in the Kersal area of Salford when the attack happened between 2 and 3pm on Saturday 19 July, Greater Manchester Police said.
It is understood she did not sustain serious injuries.
The force is now appealing for more information following the attack, and has asked anyone with any information to get in touch.
A spokesperson from Greater Manchester Police said: “We are appealing for information following an incident which saw an XL bully bite a four-year-old child on footpath of the River Irwell in Kersal between 2 and 3pm on Saturday 19 July.
“Thankfully no serious injury was sustained.”
Since 1 February last year, it has been illegal to own an XL bully without a certificate of exemption.
The changes followed a string of dog attacks across the country, including the fatal mauling of a man by two dogs near Walsall in the West Midlands.
However, campaign groups have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the ban. Charities including Dogs Trust and the RSPCA said there was a “lack of data” behind the decision, adding the ban would not stop attacks.
Figures obtained by The Independent in January revealed dog attacks rose in the first five months of the ban on the XL bully breed as police chiefs warned the legislation would be no “overnight fix”.
There have also been a number of fatal dog attacks since the ban, including the death of Esther Martin, who was attacked by two XL bullies in Essex.
A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: “We do not believe that banning further types of dog is an effective or sustainable solution to protecting public safety.
“Breed-specific legislation fails to deliver what it was designed to do. It has not reduced hospital admissions from dog bites, it has not improved public safety and it has not reduced the number of dogs conforming to the breeds or types it legislates against.”
The environment secretary at the time, Therese Coffey, had said ministers had taken “quick and decisive action to protect the public from tragic dog attacks” by changing the law in 2024.
She had added: “We will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, as we take forward these important measures.”
Police previously said they expect the number of XL bullies to decrease over time, but that the new regulations were a “generational change”.
