Letter to Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich
13th February 2010
Dear Mr Raynsford
Re: Staffordshire Bull Terrier Attacks
It is with considerable alarm that I would like to bring to your attention my deep concern about the subject of attacks on other dogs by Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Many people I have spoken to over the last two years have also voiced their anxieties about this growing problem.
I became a dog owner myself two years ago to a little Shi Tzu who was a rescue dog with a particularly pleasant nature. After walking her regularly in beautiful Shrewsbury Park for the last two years I have met other responsible dog owners who care for their pets dearly. However, just lately, I have spoken to many who have either had their own dogs attacked or friends of theirs have had their dogs attacked all by the same breed of dog – the Staffordshire Bull Terrier!
At the end of last summer there was a particularly bad attack on a beautiful Golden Retriever called Cody. He was attacked on the field just by Rowton Road and the fight spilled over into the road. If the driver of a car hadn’t come and driven at them honking his horn then I fear that the Retriever would have been killed.
Also, three weeks ago, a greyhound of 11 years old called Dolly, was attacked by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier that was wearing a muzzle. The dog was off the lead and the owner was oblivious to the fact that it was racing toward Dolly and tore into her flesh even whilst wearing it’s muzzle. The Bull Terrier was pulled off, taken back to the owner and then she let it go again and back it came for a second go!
This same Bull Terrier attacked my little dog on the morning of Thursday 11 February 2010. I was walking in the park at around 7am when three dogs appeared. Two I am familiar with and they are greyhound cross-breeds who are totally harmless and then the third one I realised was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier wearing a muzzle and not on a lead. It came straight over to my dog and attacked her relentlessly. I managed to pull it off and the owner slowly appeared and grabbed it, then she let it go again and it came straight back to attack my dog again.I pulled it off again and told her to put it on the lead and leave the park otherwise I would call the police.She didn’t seem at all phased by the fact that her dog had just attacked another dog. She was very slow to react and I was speechless. Two other people witnessed the attack and they said that often the owner of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier removes it’s muzzle and always let’s it off the lead!!
My husband took our dog to the same park the day after and heard that it had attacked another dog and taken a chunk out of it’s ear as it wasn’t wearing a muzzle this time.
This is what is so frightening about this breed. They are extremely unpredictable and if this particular dog hadn’t been wearing a muzzle I’m sure that my little dog would have been killed. This is totally unacceptable behaviour in a public park where there are many dog-walkers and families with children.
I have reported the incident to the Police (incident number CAD4882) and they have said that they will call me back for a full report.They have told me that if I see the lady at the park again with the dog then I am to call the Police immediately.
In the meantime what can be done to stop this from happening again? These dogs are extremely dangerous. I am now very nervous when I walk my dog and am constantly worried that something might appear and attack her again. I’ve been told that the dog that attacked mine has been seen walking on a public footpath without a lead or a muzzle. Is this what we have to expect when walking the streets now? A feeling of foreboding and anxiety because people think they can own a dangerous dog and walk it off a lead without a muzzle and not take any responsibility?
I cannot stress enough the concern that this is causing other dog owners. I would be grateful for your comments on this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Toni Turpin
