'I'm scared to walk my dog after XL Bully attack - but I'm 100% against the ban'

21 September 2023 , 06:53

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Kate's Vizsla puppy had to get 17 stitches following the attack

A woman whose dog was attacked by an XL bully in a park says she's "100% against" plans to ban the breed.

Kate Jackson was walking her 10-month-old Hungarian Vizsla puppy, Arthur when she said she came across a man with two dogs, one of which Kate believed to be an XL bully. The owner of the two dogs allegedly shouted "they're not friendly" just moments before the XL bully grabbed Arthur by the neck in Sefton Park, Merseyside, on July 25.

The 35-year-old woman said: "Before I could do anything the dog had him by the throat and was dragging him. The man was shouting at his dog but this didn't do anything. I froze for a moment as I was scared for my own safety. The other, smaller dog joined in and was biting and pulling his ears. Arthur isn't a small dog, he's quite big and he was helpless and crying. Me and the other owner managed to separate them and we had a verbal altercation. He had one lead for two dogs, so he put the bigger one on the lead."

Kate Jackson, pictured with Arthur, does not support the ban despite the attack

Arthur needed 17 stitches on a deep laceration to his neck at a vets, the Liverpool Echo reports. Kate, who is originally from Northampton, said Arthur also had a puncture wound and injuries to his ear, and the treatment set her back £1,700 altogether. Following the attack, Kate said she was "too scared" to walk Arthur on her own for two weeks. She also said she would not return to Sefton Park.

She said: "We go to all the parks in Liverpool, Sefton Park, Greenbank, The Mystery, Childwall Woods, but mostly Sefton and Greenbank. I won't go back to Sefton Park now. Because the wound was on Arthur's neck the vets couldn't put him in a cone, so he scratched out the stitches two or three times, meaning he needed antibiotics. We cancelled a camping trip at the recommendation of the vets, which we were really looking forward to as my mum died five days after the attack."

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"Luckily Arthur is absolutely fine after the attack, it's like nothing happened. He's such a lovely-natured dog, we're lucky it hasn't triggered him to aggression, because it [attacks] can. It was a rude awakening for us about recall." Kate, who lives in Aigburth, Liverpool, contacted Merseyside Police following the incident, but investigating officers have decided to take no further action. She plans to submit a complaint to the force in the future.

A spokesperson from Merseyside Police said: "Officers have investigated a report that a dog was attacked by two other dogs in Sefton Park on Tuesday 25 July. Just before 10am we received a report that a woman was walking her dog, a Hungarian Vizla, near to the Palm House when two dogs attacked her dog. The Hungarian Vizla received cuts to its neck which required veterinary treatment. It was reported that the two dogs, believed to be XL bulldogs, were off their lead and was with a man who attempted to stop the attack.

"Officers have spoken with both owners involved in the incident and carried out a full investigation in the area, which resulted in no further action being taken against the dog owner. At present no further complaints have been made to Merseyside Police." Anyone who witnessed this incident or with any information is asked to contact @MerPolCC on Twitter or 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre' on Facebook with reference 23000676125".

Despite the attack on Arthur, Kate said she is "100% against" the government's plan to ban XL bullies by the end of the year. She said: "The move to ban the XL bully has infuriated me, I'm 100% against this ban. The laws need to change and individuals need to be held accountable for being irresponsible dog owners.

"Dog on dog attacks need to be taken more seriously as they are often antecedents to more serious or fatal attacks. If proper investigating were done, stones turned over, then perhaps that would be a start in preventing irresponsible owners, discovering puppy farms, enforcing ownership bans and solving Liverpool's ever growing problematic dog attacks."

Abigail Nicholson