Pet attack dog had been ‘trained to kill’

Family’s horror after Jack Russells mauled by crazed Bull Terrier

THE owner of two pet dogs savaged by an off-the-lead terrier has been told the attack was intended to be fatal. Jason Turner was walking Jack Russells Cherry and Blossom at Shaw’s Bridge in Belfast when they were set upon by an English Bull Terrier.

Blossom, five, had her back ripped apart and four-year-old Cherry sustained serious wounds to her neck and throat.

Both dogs required emergency surgery and are now recovering.

Their owner Andrea Moffett Simons, 54, from Dundonald, said: “The dogs are lucky to be alive. My partner Jason is still deeply shocked and traumatised and he was injured trying to help Cherry and Blossom get away from the other dog.

“It appeared in the distance and ran towards Jason and my dogs and launched an attack. It was off the lead and no one seemed to be with it.

“Jason tried to beat the dog to get it to go away but it just attacked and attacked.

“He shouted to Blossom to run but the poor wee pet didn’t understand and she would never leave Cherry, who is her daughter.

PANIC

“The noise was terrible with the dogs yelping in pain and they were in a real panic. The dog just would not let go.

“Then suddenly this man appeared out of the trees and whistled and the big dog just stopped and ran to him.

“Our vet in Newtownards told us from the wounds on Cherry’s neck it was probably a trained brute of a dog which had been set on her and had intended to kill her.

“No dog learns to act like that without being trained by a human. It’s disgusting.”

Andrea’s daughter Kelly added: “The person who owns this dog needs to be found and the dog needs to be found because it’s dangerous.

“If it can attack possibly on command and be called off on command and someone is willing to participate in that sort of disgusting behaviour, then they need to be stopped.

“We believe the man ran off so he would not be accountable for his actions or the dog’s actions.

“The police and the dog warden have been informed and the vet has been in touch with police. “We are very worried this will happen again and the next time it could be worse. A child could be involved and it could be fatal. The dog was very powerful.

“We ask anyone who knows of a man with an English Bull Terrier that is mostly white in colour with brown paws and a brown patch over one eye, to contact the police.”