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| HORROR attack . . . Lisa and Mitzy |
Lisa Daley (29) had been walking her Bichon Frise, Mitzy, along Redgrave Street, Oldham, when she saw the Rottweiler racing towards them.
Horrified, she grabbed her dog but the Rottweiler — later destroyed — snatched Mitzy, shook her in his jaws before letting her go when two more people intervened.
The Rottweiler’s teenage owners, who do not wish to be named, picked Ben based on an advert they had seen at Oldham RSPCA, stating that he was suitable to live with children and other dogs.
They claim they had already signed all the paperwork before they were told Ben had previously attacked a cat — and felt obliged to take him home.
One of the owners said: “I guess we were naive but we took the word of the manager, who told us Ben would be okay with our baby and other dogs.
“I knew something was up with him. After a few weeks he started playing up but we thought we might be able to train him.
“Part of our fence got kicked down and that must be how he escaped. We are very upset that it has happened and that’s why we decided to take Ben back to the RSPCA and have him put down. I don’t think we’ll get a dog ever again.”
Miss Daley, of Spring Street, said her daughter Morgan and nephew Ryan, who were with her at the time, were distraught.
She said: “The RSPCA shouldn’t be giving a dog like that to a teenager who has a baby in the house — if it’s done that to my dog, what could it do to a baby?
“It was absolutely horrendous — she’s had so many stitches. The dog wouldn’t let go at all — he was dragging me along.”
The RSPCA said the incident was unforseen, unfortunate and that they were saddened to hear what had happened.
A spokeswoman said: “It’s believed that the Rottweiler had passed behavioural assessments with cats, dogs and people before being put up for re-homing.
“He was re-homed to someone over the age of 18 who had met and walked the dog at the centre and had been visited in his home to ensure he was a suitable owner. Part of the home-check requires the potential owner to have a secure garden.
“He was also re-homed to someone who didn’t have any cats and that person was made aware of the dog’s previous history and encouraged to keep him on a lead.”
(Oldham Evening Chronicle - June 14, 2011)
