A five-year-old boy has been left with a nasty bruise to his upper leg after being bitten by a dog in Yarraville on Sunday night.

Nick told Tom Elliott his son was sitting outside the Sun Theatre when the Staffy-Cross lunged at his son, Joshua.

“He was bitten as he ran past the dog,” Nick said.

“We called police to attend, just so it’s on the public record in case the dog had done it before or would do it again.

“The disappointing thing was that the police came back to us and said there’s two people who said your son fell off a park bench, he wasn’t bitten by a dog.

“They blatantly lied, the owner of the dog came over and apologised straight away.

“I think they were fearful because the police were involved that the dog might just put down, they put the welfare of the dog above that of an innocent five-year-old child.”

“I want them charged with making a false statement, I find it reprehensible.”

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Nick said he doesn’t want the dog put down.

Joshua has since missed two days of school and required antibiotics to fight an infection.

3AW has contacted Maribyrnong Council and police for comment.