Tributes flow for little Manny who died after a Gold Coast dog attack

Tributes have poured in for 5-year-old Emmanuel, known as "Manny". Photo / Craig Kavanagh, gofundme

Family and friends have rallied around the father of a Gold Coast boy who died after being mauled by a dog.

Emmanuel, or Manny as he was known, died on the operating table on Christmas Eve, hours after he was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital.

The 5-year-old had been house-sitting with his grandmother in Varsity Lakes when an English bull terrier-American bulldog cross attacked him, biting his neck and back.

Manny's grandmother quickly tried to free him from the dog's grip, sustaining arm injuries, but he went into cardiac arrest before an emergency blood transfusion was needed.

Sadly, he died just hours before Christmas Day.

Family and friends quickly rallied to help Manny's devastated father to organise a funeral, with one starting a GoFundMe fundraiser which reached its $10,000 goal in just eight hours.

"Angus is a single father who is very dedicated to providing the best for his little bud. Manny was Angus' world. His love for his son was immeasurable," organiser Craig Kavanagh wrote.

"We are trying to raise funds to help Angus in this tragically difficult time. Manny was a treasure and what has happened has left a lot of people in shock and sadness."

A heartwarming snap of Manny was included on the page, showing the boy smiling.

The campaign has already raised $13,000, with donors paying tribute to the "beautiful boy" adding there's "no words to describe" the tragic loss.

Investigations into the tragedy are set to be launched by the Gold Coast Council and the coroner.