Overview

• Savannah was alone in the family’s static caravan in East Heslerton when the attack occurred on 1 November 2024, the inquest heard.
• Her mother had briefly gone to seek help with a faulty gas canister and returned to find the dog covered in blood as bystanders and paramedics attempted resuscitation.
• The dog, Biggie, held a Certificate of Exemption under recent legislation and was neutered, microchipped, registered with a vet, and muzzled in public, with no requirement to wear a muzzle at home.
• Police told the court there was no history of aggression in the home and a veterinary post-mortem found no physical or pathological cause for a sudden outburst.
• Officers reviewed potential offences, including manslaughter and causing or allowing a child’s death, but brought no charges; the dog was seized and later euthanised as the family issued a statement of devastation.