Owner says puppy was fatally mauled by what she said was an XL bully

12 November 2023 , 12:16

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The puppy had suffered serious injuries to multiple organs and later died

A tearful puppy owner saw her beloved pet fatally mauled by what she said was an XL Bully as a family walk ended in horror.

The 13-month-old dog was rushed to a vet but could not be saved. Police launched an investigation and officers were due to question a man in his 20s.

The incident took place at Tamworth Castle Grounds on Sunday afternoon, November 5, seconds after owner Claire Goodwin and her children had been discussing how much they loved Luna, who was a gift from her partner. The 49-year-old wept as she relived the "timid" dog's fate.

Luna was severely injured

A tearful puppy owner saw her beloved pet fatally mauled by what she said was an XL Bully

She said: "We were talking about how much we loved Luna and how precious she was. I glanced to my left and I saw a dog - I've never seen a look in a dog's eyes like it." She claimed the dog was an XL Bully, although it was described by police as a "mastiff-type breed", and said it rushed towards them, forcing Claire's daughter to pick up Luna in a bid to shield her from harm.

But she said the dog managed to get hold of Luna and the puppy was "ripped" from her daughter's arms. Claire said Luna was severely injured and she suffered a chin wound as she tried to grab the other dog's collar, a reaction she said was driven by "pure adrenaline".

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

She told Birmingham Live : "The three of us were traumatised. We went to the car to get Luna some help. Members of the public helped us as I was bleeding from my chin and Luna was bleeding a lot - we were hysterical."

After being urged to call the police, Claire was taken to hospital by her partner while Luna was taken to a vet by her daughter. But the puppy had suffered serious injuries to multiple organs and later died.

Claire described Luna as the "beautiful heart and soul" of their family. She said: "We are beyond devastated. My partner got Luna as a gift and she's the best gift I'll ever have. Just a huge empty space in our home and hearts. Luna, you are so loved and that love will stay with us forever."

Paying tribute to Luna on social media, she wrote: "No wagging tail this morning, no beautiful face waiting to greet her Momma. No muddy paw prints after being in the garden."

"No noise of your little paws on the wooden flooring. Just a huge empty space in our home and hearts. Luna, you are so loved and that love will stay with us forever."

A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said that "enquiries are ongoing" in a statement. It statement the force said: "At about 3pm on Sunday, November 5, a man was walking his dog when it attacked a cocker spaniel. In an attempt to get the dog off, the owner of the spaniel tried to intervene and was bitten on the chin as a result. She wasn’t seriously injured. The spaniel was taken to a vet following the ordeal and sadly died as a result of the injuries."

It added: "Following our appeal for information after a dog killed another dog in Tamworth Castle Grounds on Sunday (5 November), we can confirm the man has been identified and enquiries are ongoing.If you have any information which can help us, call 101, quoting incident 382 of November 5, or message us using Live Chat on our website. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Alexander Brock