'Giving pit bull who attacked me back to owner is like giving criminal a gun'

22 August 2023 , 18:02

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Jennie Lawrenson (Image: STEVE ALLEN)

A woman left scarred for life after a savage pit bull attack fears the dog is about to be returned to its owner.

Jennie Lawrenson spent three days in hospital after an English pit bull called Kaiser mauled her as she tried to throw its owner Holly Snelgar out of her Airbnb flat. Jennie feared she would die as the beast tore into her arms, shoulders, legs, chest and torso.

Kaiser also savaged her partner Myles Waldron as he went to her aid in the December 2021 attack. TikTok influencer Snelgar, 25, was sentenced to two years’ community service last month after she admitted being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog and assaulting an emergency worker – but the dog was not destroyed.

Jennie, 50, was told a contingent destruction order had been made, suggesting the pet could be returned to Snelgar on condition she keeps it on a lead, has public liability insurance and attends at least eight training classes. Jennie told the Mirror: “I’m in shock anybody thinks that’s a good idea. It doesn’t make any sense for her to have it back. It feels like they’ve not understood the severity of the attack.”

Dog injuries on Jennie's arm

Holly Snelgar outside court (Manchester Evening News)

Backing the Mirror’s call for an overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act, she said: “Does someone need to die to do something about her or this dog? If she’d attacked me with a knife or gun would that have been given back to her? This wasn’t a dog being out of control – this was a dog being used as a weapon against me and my partner so they didn’t need to leave. It’s like giving a criminal back his gun.”

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Jennie's injuries were life changing

Jennie had asked Snelgar and her two male friends to leave the Airbnb flat they had rented from her, which was adjacent to her own Manchester city centre home, after being woken by their noise at 4.30am. She said: “The place looked like it had been broken into or wrecked. I told them, ‘I’m going to have to ask you to leave’. They said they wouldn’t go without their money back. The next thing I knew the dog [was] clamping on to my arm.”

Mirror campaign (Daily Mirror)

Myles heard her screams and came to her aid but was also attacked. Jennie said: “Those people didn’t get the dog off me. I remember my partner coming in and shouting and kicked the dog off me while they just watched. She was laughing.” Jennie said the dog attacked her again as she left the flat. It was pulled off her by one of the men, but she says it escaped him and attacked her a third time.

Police were called and Snelgar attacked an officer. At Manchester Crown Court last month Snelgar, of Hampshire, got the community order and was told to complete 125 hours of unpaid work, and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was also ordered to pay Jennie £300 in compensation, and £200 to Myles, and Kaiser went into Greater Manchester Police kennels. Jennie said GMP have not been able to confirm if it still in their kennels or has been returned to Snelgar or a third party.

Lucy Thornton