TODDLER Icy Thomas-Day’s parents have been told that their only option now would be to take the dog’s owners to court as a civil matter.

A Dorset Police spokesman confirmed that under the Dangerous Dogs Act they have no powers to enforce the animal to be put down.

He said: “The dog would have had to have been out of control on either public property or behaving dangerously on private property not belonging to its owners.

“There’s no legislation that allows the police to take further action unless the owner had made the dog attack and there’s no suggestion of this here.”

West Dorset District Council Community Protection Manager, Graham Duggan, said: “We were very sorry to learn of this incident and would like to pass on our sympathy to the little girl and her family.The matter has been looked into by Dorset Police and the council has offered whatever support is needed in carrying out their investigations.”