Tough new laws to keep dangerous dogs under control could be introduced in Bermuda after an eight-year-old girl was attacked by a pitbull.

Owners could even be asked to muzzle their dogs in public in a bid to stop savage attacks.

Police are now investigating the latest biting incident after a girl was bitten in the ribs by her neighbour's dog.

Police said the pitbull, which had been on a very long leash, left two fang marks on the girl's side when it gnawed at her just before 5.45 p.m. on Monday.

The girl had been in the front yard with her father in Clarke's Lane, Pembroke, when the dog launched into the attack.

It was eventually chased away by the girl's father, who took his daughter to King Edward VII Memorial hospital.

A hospital spokeswoman said the girl was treated in minutes and was "very lucky''.

She added: "She didn't even need stitches -- but it could have been much worse.'' But a 67-year-old man needed 360 stitches in his head after being mauled by two Rottweiler/Akita crossbreeds in nearby Spanish Point last December.

At the time, Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness promised to review laws governing dogs which are bred to be vicious.

And last night he told The Royal Gazette that Government officials were reviewing Canadian legislation which dictates dogs must be muzzled in public and kept on a tight lead.

Mr. Edness said: "These dogs can kill an eight-year-old. They are dangerous and something's got to be done about it.

"The entire Government is concerned and we are looking at some laws to try to change the responsibilities of having those dogs.'' He said Irving Pearman, the minister responsible for dogs legislation, and Attorney General Elliott Mottley were already examining a Canadian law which keeps dangerous dogs on a tight rein.

Mr. Edness added: "There is an act in Waterloo, Ontario, which gives a precise definition of dangerous dogs and any dog classified as dangerous has to be kept under the strictest control.

"That means putting muzzles on the dog and tight leashes. We have certainly put this on our agenda because we are worried about those dogs and what they can do -- particularly to a young child, but also to adults and elderly people.'' Mr. Edness said Government was reluctant to follow the UK Dangerous Dogs Act as there have been teething troubles with the legislation in Britain.

But he added: "One of the things that motivated us recently was the incident in Spanish Point.

"That is why we began looking at foreign programmes and methods of handling these dogs.

"The information we got from Canada was very encouraging. These dogs are dangerous and they are vicious but it's a very difficult subject to tackle.'' He also called on Police to mount a full inquiry into the latest biting incident.

"If the Police find it necessary, this matter should be taken to court,'' he said.

"I don't know the circumstances but we need to make sure the law wasn't breached as it is.

"We do have a dogs act with a requirement to keep those dogs on a leash. Now we may need to go even further.'' Frank Alves, who survived the Spanish Point attack, will be scarred for life after the two dogs ripped off his scalp as he visited a friend's home.