Owners’ warning after beloved dog Freddie attacked
ACOUPLE who claim their dog was ‘viciously attacked’ in Bacup at the weekend are warning other dog owners to stay away from the area.
Ian and Carol Harling, of Rochdale Road, say their beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was brutally attacked by a German Shepherd dog at around 3pm on Saturday as Carol was walking with her own pet.
The savage attack – in the Britannia area – lasted minutes but it left Freddie with lots of puncture wounds, and he had to be taken straight to the vets afterwards, says Carol.
Freddie was treated with stitches and painkillers, and left ‘nervous and petrified’ following the incident, which has been reported to police and the council’s dog warden.
Now his shocked owners, who also have a Corgi named Henry, have warned other people to stay away from the area.
Carol, 58, who is a secretary, said: “It was just me walking with the dog. It was a vicious attack; he just pinned him to the ground because the German Shepherd was quite a big dog. My dog is as timid as they can be. I was screaming ‘get your dog’ and the owner came over and the dog went back to her. The owner never said anything to me and just disappeared.”
Ian, 59, a machine operator, said: “We took Freddie
to the vets and had staples put in the punctured areas.
“He’s a rescue and was very timid and it had taken a long time to get him to trust us and now we’re back to square one. The other owner didn’t even ask how he was.”
It seems their experiences may have been mirrored by other people’s. Some residents have claimed on social media that their beloved pets had been similarly attacked around the location.
Meanwhile, Carol added: “Freddie is ok, very shook up, he is very nervous to start with but this has frightened him to death. He has quite a few puncture wounds and some staple stitches, on plenty of painkillers.
“We’re not going to let it drop; we really do want something done because where it happened, it’s not far from a school – Britannia Community Primary School – and you don’t know whether he could attack a child. I do want something done about it.
“It’s as well to warn people who’ve walked around there every day; I won’t be going down there again.”
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Dog owners have a legal responsibility under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to keep their dog under control in a public place. This legislation is enforced by the police. We ask that dog owners be aware of this and to keep their dog under control at all times.”
Lancashire Police say a dog attack on another dog is a matter for the council rather than police.
A spokesperson for Rossendale council said: “The council have been informed and are currently investigating the incident which took place on April 23 in Bacup.
“We are unable to comment or give further information until we have completed our investigations.
“If people have concerns about a dog they believe to be dangerous, or if their dog has been attacked by another dog, they can report the incident to us on 01706 217777 or email us at envcrime@rossendalebc. gov.uk.
“If a dog attacks and injures a person then the matter should be reported to the police.”