UNITED KINGDOM -- A dog attack victim has been left traumatised and scarred for life after being mauled by a Japanese Akita in Bradford.
Lawrence Shields needed more than five hours of surgery and 60 stitches to wounds on his hands and arms after the ten-minute unprovoked attack.
Lawrence Shields needed more than five hours of surgery and 60 stitches to wounds on his hands and arms after the ten-minute unprovoked attack.
But despite the serious nature of his injuries, police say the incident is a civil matter as the attack happened on private land and the dog is not an illegal breed.
Thirty-one-year-old Mr Shields, who is recovering at home in Balfour Street, East Bowling, after spending four days in Bradford Royal Infirmary, called the law “ridiculous” and said the dog should be put down before it kills someone.
“I happened within seconds,” he said. “I am a big guy and even I couldn’t wrestle it off me. If it got hold of a child they wouldn’t stand a chance. I simply want people to be aware of this Japanese Akita dog and how quickly it can attack.
“The dog needs to be put down for everybody’s safety.”
The attack happened when Mr Shields was measuring up for a fence in the garden of the dog’s home in Flockton Terrace, East Bowling, by invitation of its owner, Cally Brogden, who Mr Shields said was a friend.
“The owner left the door open and the dog came out and seriously attacked me,” he said. “I put my arms up to protect my face. It lasted for a good ten minutes but it felt like hours.”
Mr Shields said he still is not sure who got the dog off him, but thanked the neighbour who called an ambulance and also thanked staff on ward 19 of Bradford Royal Infirmary, the plastics and maxillofacial ward, who looked after him.
“My friend has apologised but sorry doesn’t really count,” he said. “They don’t know how much this has affected my life. I was supposed to be starting a new business selling cleaning products but now I am too terrified to do that.
(Telegraph & Argus - March 3, 2012)
