Blackburn woman out of pocket as Staffie attacks chihuahua

Andrea Howarth was walking her dog, Lucky, in Blackburn at around 4pm on Saturday, June 3.

As she made her way down Gordonstoun Place, the Staffie, which was not on a lead and wasn’t with its owner, attacked Lucky, gripping hold of the tiny dog for around 20 minutes, leaving him with puncture wounds to his neck which required staples.

Andrea said: “If it hadn't been for the neighbours being around to help, he would have died as he was bleeding out.

The wound on Lucky's back (Image: Andrea Howarth)

“He was gripped by the Staffie for 20 minutes and only by putting a metal bar in its jaw did it release.

“The vet said he was very lucky and if it had been any longer, he would have bled to death or gone into severe shock.

“I am so angry that the owner of the Staffie gets away with this - he wasn't there as his dog was loose.

“He isn't responsible enough to keep hold of his dog and if that dog gets loose again who is to say it won't attack or even kill?

“The next day there was a two-year-old girl playing in the same spot. What would the police have done then?”

Andrea said the police collected the Staffie following the incident but since then she’s had no follow up calls and has had no details about the owner.

She went on: “The police collected the Staff but not one officer asked about Lucky.

“I had no follow up calls. I had to ring them. That's how I found out the Staffie had been handed back to the owner.

The Staffie (Image: Andrea Howarth)

“I still await the owner’s details as the police still haven't contacted me.

“No officer looked at my dog to see what state he was in after the attack.

“No officer rang me to even ask if the dog was alive.

“I want the owner to pay the vet bills and I want the dog to be under a muzzle order as it is dangerous. What happens if he loses his dog again and it attacks a child?

“We are out of pocket as even though our dog is insured, we have to pay an excess which either way should not be for us to pay.”

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We attended the scene straight after the incident was reported and we seized the dog.

"It was subsequently collected from us by the dog warden and that was the end of our involvement.”

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: “While dog attacks on other dogs are not a police matter, if a dog is dangerously out of control, then its owner can face criminal prosecution through the police.

“This is not a council matter - we have no log of this incident as it was reported to the police at the time of the attack.

“We understand the Chihuahua owner’s frustration at having no contact details for the owner of the other dog.

“Our advice to her would be to follow up with the police on the incident log number she has been given.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “We’re really sorry to hear about this very upsetting incident and we hope Lucky makes a swift and full recovery. 

“Dog owners have a legal responsibility under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to keep their dog under control in a public place, and this legislation is enforced by the police.

“Although there is always much focus on, and interest around, the breed of dog involved, research shows us that it is not a reliable predictor of aggressive behaviour.

"Dogs can show aggression for all sorts of different reasons, such as fear and anxiety, or even injury or poor health and any dog can bite.

“We urge those who are responsible for dogs, as well as those who interact with them, to be aware of the signs they use to tell us how they are feeling and of high risk behaviours which can lead to dogs feeling threatened and possibly using aggressive behaviour.

“We encourage all dog owners to ensure their pets are well-socialised, have basic training and access to a good diet, regular exercise and suitable vet check-ups.

"Anyone who is concerned about the behaviour of their dog should speak to their vet or a clinical animal behaviourist for help.”

Anyone who saw the incident or has any information can call the police on 101 quoting log number 1013 of June 3.