Five-year-old boy mauled by neighbour’s pit bulls as he played outside grandmother’s house

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A five-year-old boy is recovering from injuries he suffered after being brutally attacked by two pit bull dogs that jumped out of a neighbour’s van.

Hunter Callender was attacked earlier this month while playing outside his grandmother’s house with his sister in Michigan. His family say the youngster suffered serious facial injuries that have required reconstructive surgery.

“The neighbours son has two pit bulls that apparently escaped his vehicle while he was getting something out of it. The two dogs ran and violently attacked Hunter, causing him to suffer broken bones to his face, gashes to his head, face and neck,” a GoFundMe for Hunter states.

His mother, Ashley White, says that Hunter has “been pretty down” and “pretty traumatised by the whole event.”

“It’s been a lot. It’s definitely a rough road here,” she told ABC13.

Ms White says that her son faces additional surgeries to remove wiring in his jaw and to correct his double vision, and doctors say he will need dental work to correct his damaged teeth.

“My son’s had good spirit in phases. Now he’s came around for a little while, but other than that, he’s just not the same,” she said.

“And we’re just really ready for him to get to recovering and coming back to no normal kid that can go outside and play like he loves to do.”

Both of the dogs were taken by animal control in Montcalm County and have now been euthanised.

Authorities say that the dog owner did not have licenses for the animals and faces two dangerous animal charges, which carry a prison sentence of up to four years.

Prosecutors say that the identity of the owner will not be made public until they are arraigned in court next week.