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Parents whose children were savaged by dogs have shared images of their horror injuries as they back calls for stricter dog laws.

Johanna McQuillan was randomly attacked by a dog while playing at a park with her sister in 2014.

Her father, John McQuillan, has said his daughter was fortunate to have survived the ordeal.

The child, who is now 14, , was left with 17 gaping wounds on her arms, back and legs and underwent multiple surgeries.

John, 79, told the Daily Record : “It was an unprovoked attack. It was terribly frightening.

(Image: Copyright Unknown)

“The gates to the park where Johanna was attacked were just left open. I think it would have made a difference if the park had been secure.”

Yesterday, MSPs called for an urgent reform to dog laws citing a rise in unprovoked attacks - particularly against children.

The Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee at Holyrood warned of a sharp increase in hospital admissions following dog attacks over the past yen years, and that many children had suffered life-changing injuries.

Committee convener Jenny Marra said: “Dog law in Scotland is not fit for purpose.

(Image: Copyright Unknown)

“There are still far too many dog attacks on children and little enforcement or understanding of the current laws that might prevent these attacks.

“It has become clear that current dog control law doesn’t work.

“It needs reformed urgently so that out of control and dangerous dogs can be dealt with properly and we can try to move to a system that prevents our children being injured by dogs.”

John said it would be "excellent" for new reforms to be implemented.

He added: “I would absolutely welcome these recommendations as it was a horrible thing for us to go through.”

(Image: Daily Record)

Another parent, whose daughter was hospitalised following an unprovoked dog attack, has also backed the new recommendations.

Kinzara Stirton from Erskine, Renfrewshire was three-years-old when she was attacked at a Paisley tanning shop, leaving her needing stitches on her neck and face.

Her mother, Kristina, 43, told the Daily Record: “I would also like to see tougher regulations on the sale of the dogs.”

MSPs called for councils to create "secure play areas" for children in parks where dogs are banned.

(Image: Daily Record)

New dog laws were introduced in 2010 but the committee insisted the initiative failed to work effectively.

In February, the mother of a child who died in a savage dog attack blasted the committee for failing to take action in preventing such incidents from reoccuring.

Veronica Lynch said: “When Kelly died, the laws were ineffective – nothing happened to anybody.

“The owner stupidly allowed his daughter and my daughter to take two massive Rottweilers out. Their combined weight was something like 19 stone and Kelly weighed four-and-a-half stone.

“She didn’t stand a chance.”

She added: “Thirty years on from Kelly’s death we are still reading the same headlines.

“Nothing has changed and we have to get something done.”