A seven-year-old girl was recovering from surgery yesterday after a dog viciously attacked her in her front yard.

Alicia Benevides of Khyber Heights, Warwick, was sitting up in bed at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, bandages around her face and head.

The ten-year-old Akita who attacked her on Thursday night was expected to be put down yesterday at the request of the owners, Government Dog Warden Mr.

Shinah Simons told The Royal Gazette .

The girl's uncle, retired Police Inspector Mr. David Cook, described the Thursday night attack as "horrific''.

Alicia was playing outside her house at about 6.15 p.m. when the large male "came in and just went for her'', he said.

She suffered bites to her cheek, head, and chest before the grey and white Akita ran away.

Her mother, Mrs. Judy Benevides, rushed out and drove her daughter to the hospital, where she is expected to stay for three or four days.

The attack was described as a tragedy for both the Benevides family and the dog's owners, a Warwick family that lives nearby.

Mr. Simons said the owners, whom he would not identify, were out looking for the dog at the time of the attack and helped with the subsequent search and capture, which ended shortly before 11 p.m.

The owners said the dog had no history of vicious behaviour and they did not know how he got away, Mr. Simons said. But they asked that the dog be put down because "they never want anything like that to happen again''.

"Everybody is distraught,'' he said.

Mr. Simons said he wanted to let everyone cool down over the weekend, then get the families together on Monday to discuss the matter. It was not known yesterday whether charges would be laid.

"There are too many dogs on this Island, and people don't realise that it's their inherent responsibility to keep their dogs within the confines of their property,'' Mr. Cook said.

While the owners had not intended the dog to escape, "I'm afraid if it happens, you're liable, if it's your dog.'' Mr. David Cook