DOG POO BLUE
Wilsonton dog walker assaulted in random, early-morning attack
NAT Burcher’s morning walk with his greyhound turned to terror after he was assaulted and put in the Toowoomba Hospital.
The reason for the battering was that a nearby resident didn’t like the greyhound taking a toilet break near his fence.
This is despite Mr Burcher doing the neighbourly thing and collecting his dog’s business in a bag, to be disposed of correctly.
“He kept walking towards me, getting more and more aggressive, and when he was within arm’s reach, he punched me in the face,” Mr Burcher said.
The assault ended with the man threatening to kill Mr Burcher.
NO ONE likes it when a dog does its business on your nature strip but few people would batter someone over such an unwelcome deposit.
Sadly Nat Burcher was hospitalised after his dog’s droppings provoked the violent wrath of a stranger.
The Toowoomba man was walking his greyhound along Bridge St early Tuesday morning when the pup heard the call of nature.
The dog did its business and like all polite pet owners Mr Burcher scooped it into a bag to be dumped later.
Unknowingly the dog angered a nearby resident who saw the deposit and gave chase.
“I heard car honk and I saw a vehicle,” Mr Burcher said.
“It was along Bridge St and it was quite noisy, but I became progressively aware that someone was yelling at me.
“Then I heard a man yell, ‘Your dog p****d on my fence.’”
Mr Burcher said he was confused by the accusation and was unsure if the man was even talking to him, but within a few seconds the situation turned violent.
“He kept walking towards me, getting more and more aggressive and when he was within arm’s reach, he punched me in the face.”
The battering broke Mr Burcher’s glasses, cut and bruised his cheek and caused him to stumble.
“He said, “If I ever see you around here again, I’ll kill you,” Mr Burcher said.
“That is a threat I take very seriously.”
The matter was reported to police who are investigating.
While the initial injuries are superficial, they did cause Mr Burcher concern as he is recovering from a brain aneurysm that required titanium coils inside his head.
Paramedics treated the cuts and transported Mr Burcher to the Toowoomba Hospital for brain scans and X-rays.
The incident left Mr Burcher fearful of his safety, along with that of his partner and their dog.
He now leaves his neighbourhood to walk the dog.
“Even if a dog does **** on your fence it still seems like a strange thing to get angry enough to punch someone and threaten to kill them.
“I don’t understand why it led to anger of that magnitude.”