A two-year-old British boy was fatally attacked by a pitbull at his family’s home on the Greek island of Zakynthos, a tragedy reportedly triggered by nearby hunting activity. The family believes the dog was startled by gunfire and hunting whistles in the surrounding woods, which led to the sudden attack.

Leon Dulia died after being bitten once in the garden of the property where his parents, Robbie and Loukas Deeth, live. The family had relocated from Andover, Hampshire, to Zakynthos and kept several animals, including cats, horses, and dogs. The pitbull, which Mr. Deeth had rescued in poor condition and rehabilitated, had shown no previous aggressive behavior.

Ms. Deeth described the circumstances leading up to the attack. As the family returned from shopping, Leon approached the pitbull, which was tethered to a ten-meter chain in the garden adjacent to wooded hunting areas. She said, "You could hear gun noises and there were other dogs and the hunters were using whistles. I really do believe that's what spooked the dog."

According to Ms. Deeth, the attack occurred quickly. After the family went inside to put away their shopping for around 30 seconds, Leon wandered back outside to the dog. She recounted that Leon was grabbed or shaken, and appeared to have been bitten only once before the incident abruptly ended.

Ms. Deeth emphasized that if she had perceived any danger, she would not have allowed Leon to interact with the dog. She insisted that the pitbull had never previously exhibited aggressive or snappy behavior. She also refuted reports that she and her husband had been charged with manslaughter, stating that the police had not mentioned any criminal proceedings.

Authorities have since impounded the pitbull as part of the investigation into the fatal attack. The investigation is ongoing, with local officials examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.