Staffy attack saw my dog loseaneye, says owner
A PORTADOWN pet owner has told how she watched in horror as a large dog gripped her tiny Shih Tzu in his jaws and shook it so violently, its eye was dislodged from its socket.
Owner Lorraine Crawford had been walking along lower Kernan Playing Fields on Sunday afternoon when two Staffordshire Bull Terriers pounced on her little dog, called Ben.
She had been walking with her sister and nephew with another little dog — an 11-year-old Bichon Frise called Junior — when the two terriers attacked.
“It was just terrifying,” she said. “I have never seen anything so vicious in my life. Ben was just mauled,” said Lorraine, adding that her nephew held their other dog high in the air so it couldn’t be attacked.
“Those dogs are dangerous and should be removed from the owner. It could have been a child injured or worse. I still feel traumatised by what happened and my dog will never be the same again.”
She revealed that Ben had spent some time with a vet in Lurgan recovering from his ordeal and had to have his eye removed as it was so badly damaged.
“His eye is very inflamed and he is on a lot of painkillers and antibiotics. He is very jumpy and I doubt I will ever be able to take him out for a walk again.”
Lorraine said she has been to see the local dog warden, and the council confirmed they were investigating.
She said: “I would like to see this dog owner brought before the courts. These are clearly dangerous dogs and he had them off a lead.”
UKIP councillor David Jones said he was deeply concerned to learn of the attack.
“This was a horrendous attack for both the dog and the lady owner. Sadly the owner of the Staffs, described as heavy set, bearded and wearing a Hells Angels jacket, did nothing during the attack and simply walked away following it,” he said.
“I would ask anyone with information as to the owner of these dogs to let the police know. To imagine such an attack of a small child does not bear thinking about.”