UNITED KINGDOM -- A ferocious dog attack in Arrow Valley Park left a woman with her fingers severed and needing reconstructive surgery.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, is calling for signs to be put up around the park asking dog owners to keep their pets on short leads following the vicious attack.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, is calling for signs to be put up around the park asking dog owners to keep their pets on short leads following the vicious attack.
A family day out with her ten-year-old daughter and mother quickly turned into a nightmare leaving her unable to do daily tasks and suffering flashbacks.
As her mother and daughter fed the ducks, she sat on a bench near the children’s play area with her Staffordshire Bull Terrier next to her when another dog suddenly came and clamped its jaws around her dog’s nose.
Speaking exclusively to The Standard, she said: “I grabbed my dog’s collar to pull him away but then the dog bit me and refused to let go.
“It was total shock. It happened so quick and I was aware of the pain but my adrenalin took over.”
Her mother smacked the dog’s nose with a bag of bread while its owner pulled on the retractable lead causing it to clamp its teeth down harder.
Eventually the animal let go and the woman, who is in her mid 40s, realised the tips of her middle and ring fingers on her right hand were only held together by a piece of skin.
She held the fingers together and wrapped her scarf tightly around the wound - an action which meant doctors at the Alexandra Hospital could save them.
In the family’s rush to get to the hospital, they did not get the woman’s details.
While heavily sedated, doctors sewed the finger back on and she has weekly hospital checks to make sure the bone is not infected.
Since the incident, on February 25, the woman no longer feels safe around dogs and has to rely on her son to walk her own pet.
The family believe had the woman, whose dog is described as large and fawn coloured with big jowls, used a short lead instead of a retractable lead the attack could have been prevented and want to see more signs around the park.
She added: “There are signs near the visitor centre saying dogs need to be on a lead but why are there not signs in other areas of the park which attract a lot of people?
“It happened outside the play area so it was not only disturbing for my child but others too - and what if it had gone for one of the children?”
A Redditch Borough Council spokesman said: “Obviously we take any incident of this nature very seriously and we are meeting with the person affected to hear the full details and discuss future measures.”
Witnesses or anyone with any information are urged to contact police on 0300 333 3000.
(The Redditch Standard - March 16, 2012)
