Rod Dolman, 67, and wife Nora Dolman, 63, took their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for a walk on the green fields off Greville Drive on Sunday evening, June 2.
“The dogs were on their leads and minding their own business,” explained Rod.
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| Three-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, William, needed £230 of treatment following the dog attack. |
“There was a man playing quite roughly with a dog that was off the lead. He wasn’t being nasty with it, but he was playing quite boisterously.
“The dog spots us and tears down towards our one-year-old, Harry. I managed to snatch him away and my wife was protecting our other dog, William, who is three.
“She got all her hands bitten. She lost an awful amount of blood. I yelled ‘please get an ambulance’. My wife was dripping with blood everywhere.”
Nora sustained badly lacerated arms and bruising, and the dogs had a lucky escape thanks to their protective owners.
William was seriously injured in the attack and had to visit the vets.
“It was £230, and that’s just the start of the treatment. Harry will be at least another £100,” said Rod, adding that the attack was the latest of many his dogs have had to endure in Winsford.
“We’ve been her here for 24 years. Until two years ago you could go out safely. But William has been attacked eight times in the Winsford area in two years. Harry has been attacked four times.”
Rod said the dog that attacked them was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier type breed.
Police are continuing enquiries into the incident but were unaware of whether the dog would be put down.
Speaking days later, Rod said: “William is still very wary with other dogs and starts shaking. This is all a result of the attack.
“Harry has been agitated and has been licking his thigh. We’ve discovered he’s been bitten as well and it had become quite infected by the time we found it.
“My wife’s injuries are much improved and may be able to go back to work. If the man had attacked my wife it would be considered actual bodily harm. By the same token, it’s him that is at fault, not the dog. We would like the law changed.
“We need tougher sentences as a deterrent.”
May’s Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill enables police to prosecute owners whose dogs attack people on private property in England and Wales.
If convicted, they will face a fine or up to two years in prison.
Compulsory micro-chipping for all dogs is to be introduced from 2016.
But some campaigners want England and Wales to follow Scotland’s lead and introduce Dog Control Notices.
The law grants local authorities powers to tackle all aspects of dog-related crime, such as illegal breeding and the ownership and training of ‘status dogs’.
(Winsford Guardian - June 12, 2013)
