A Como man who had his hand ripped apart by a Staffordshire bull terrier two weeks ago believes his son saved his life by flagging down passing motorists on Manning Road.
David Cooper was in his living room on Wednesday July 31 when his next door neighbour's dog jumped the fence and made a beeline for his nine-year-old son Jai, who was riding his scooter on the driveway of their house on Wooltana Street in Manning.
Mr Cooper told Radio 6PR he sprung into action when the dog latched onto his sons' arm.
"I started kicking the dog, I put it in a headlock... basically did all I could to get the dog off," he said.
After a five minute struggle which left Jai requiring 35 stitches, Mr Cooper managed to prise the dog's mouth open and free his son before he found himself on the receiving end of the attack.
"It's an 80 [kilogram] dog and I basically wrestled with him for [what] my partner said [was] a good half-hour.
"I give him all I had, I'm not weak either, and this dog basically had the better of me."
"I said to Jai run, run, go get some help."
Jai ran to Manning Road and flagged down passing plumber Ryan Clark, who along with another neighbour Natalie Lawrence, used a shovel to drive the dog away from Mr Cooper.
Mr Cooper said Jai's actions undoubtedly saved his life.
"They way he conducted himself was very heroic, and he basically needs a lot of credit," he said.
Mr Clark rushed Mr Cooper to Royal Perth Hospital, where he had emergency surgery to save his thumb and fingers, with tendons and veins taken from his left wrist to reconstruct his thumb.
A qualified chef and keen boxer, Mr Cooper said doctors were still unsure if they could save his thumb.
"I've boxed competitively for 15 years and I've been a chef for about 16, so there's a good chance that's going to end... I don't know where I stand.
"I'm a boxer and a chef and a dad and I don't know where to go from here."
Mr Cooper said he didn't blame the dog but rather the owner, who was overseas at the time.
"To be honest, I've had a few scary dogs myself but I believe it's the way the dog is bought up, I mean I don't think it's the dog's fault he bit me even though I should really just want to kill the dog, because he absolutely destroyed mine and my son's life.
"The dog is not to blame, it's the owners."
The WA Dog Act allows a maximum penalty fine of $10,000 against every person liable for control of a dog.
The dog was seized by the City of South Perth, which is still investigating the incident and will prosecute if required.
