Four-year-old killed by American Staffordshire Terrier in Saxony-Anhalt – Autopsy and investigations

After the attack, police and the public prosecutor's office in Dessau-Roßlau launched an investigation. The 32-year-old mother and a 30-year-old acquaintance of the family are being investigated on suspicion of negligent homicide. A 30-year-old acquaintance of the family is accused of negligent homicide. The authorities initially provided no details on the role of the suspects at the time of the offense.

Investigations and suspects

The killed child is to be autopsied in Halle on the day of reporting to determine the exact cause of death. A police spokesman confirmed the corresponding plans. After the incident, the dog was taken to the Staßfurt animal boarding facility, as a spokeswoman for the Osternienburger Land public order authority stated. How the matter would be handled further with the dog depends on the police investigations.

In Saxony-Anhalt, the American Staffordshire Terrier is classified as a dangerous breed under the dog law. This includes, among others, Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, as well as crosses of these breeds, among the so-called listed dogs. Special obligations apply to owners: the animals must be marked with a microchip or transponder and registered in the state's central dog register. In addition, dog liability insurance must be taken out, and an officially recognized temperament test must be completed within six months of acquisition.

Legal situation in Saxony-Anhalt

Regardless of a passed temperament test, a ban on breeding, reproduction, and trade applies to all listed dogs in Saxony-Anhalt. If a dog is classified as dangerous by the authorities, additional requirements threaten, such as a keeping permit, leash, and muzzle requirements. Since 2016, the dangerousness of a dog in Saxony-Anhalt has only been officially determined if it has bitten without provocation and thereby caused more than minor injuries, or if it has bitten another dog despite the other dog's clearly submissive behavior and likewise caused more than minor injuries.

The German Animal Welfare Federation (Deutscher Tierschutzbund) emphasizes that there is no scientific evidence that certain dog breeds are fundamentally dangerous. At the same time, the animal rights organization PETA refers to the current case and calls for a nationwide introduction of a mandatory dog license. Peter Höffken, specialist advisor at PETA, said: „Auf traurige Weise macht dieser Fall einmal mehr deutlich, wie wichtig fundiertes Wissen über einen verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit dem Vierbeiner ist."

Calls for a dog license

Dog trainer Karin Lammert from Wasserleben also sees the case as a warning signal. „Der größte Fehler sei, Hunde nicht als Hunde, sondern als Familienmitglied zu behandeln", she said. She also emphasized that children should never be left alone with dogs. „Wenn der Hund bei dem Kind ist und zubeißt, habe ich keine Chance mehr. Null Chance."

In Saxony-Anhalt, there is currently no general dog license. There is no nationwide regulation on the keeping of fighting dogs or animals classified as dangerous; instead, the individual federal states list the affected breeds individually. The Ministry of the Interior in Saxony-Anhalt intends to, according to its own statements, „umfassend prüfen und auswerten" the incident. In response to an MDR inquiry, the ministry had previously rejected the introduction of a mandatory dog license for all breeds, arguing that there is no evidence that this would reduce biting incidents.

In the bite statistics of Saxony-Anhalt, alongside American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers and other powerful breeds regularly appear. German Shepherds and their crosses are particularly frequently represented. According to statistics, the number of registered dog bites against people in Saxony-Anhalt has remained largely stable in recent years and has predominantly stayed at a low level.

Statistics and nationwide comparison

Users of MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT are calling on social networks for the general introduction of a mandatory dog license in Germany. The model proposed by PETA envisions prospective owners completing a theory course on species-appropriate husbandry, communication, and dog needs before acquiring a dog, and then attending a practical seminar at a dog school.

Almost all federal states require owners of dangerous dogs to provide proof of expertise and a temperament test for the animals. Which breeds are considered dangerous is listed by the individual federal states. The original article was published on 09.07.2026 by dpa and MDR (Daniel George, David Wünschel).

The authorities announced that they would continue the investigations with a view to possible violations of the Saxony-Anhalt dog law and animal welfare law. At the same time, they pointed out that the further fate of the animal depends on the outcome of the police investigations. When initial investigation results can be expected remained initially open.