Bexley teen attacked by two Staffordshire bull terriers thanks neighbour for 'saving her life'

UNITED KINGDOM -- A teenage girl who was attacked and bitten by two Staffordshire bull terriers as she tried to protect her dog today thanked a neighbour for “saving her life”.

Chloe Wooloughan, 17, was rescued by a man wielding a mop after he heard  her screams. She said: “One dog was hanging off my arm and  he came out of nowhere and started hitting him with a mop.”

Student Chloe from Erith in Bexley, was walking her 13-month-old dog Sisi near her home when she was set upon. Neighbour Daniel Cavell, 22, rushed to her aid with a mop after his mother shouted for him to help.

Chloe said: “I was just walking my dog like I do every day. I saw one Staffie staring at my dog so I picked up Sisi and then it started charging towards me. They were trying to get my dog and because they couldn’t, they started attacking me. I was screaming and no one was coming. This cab driver saw and drove off.”

She said of Mr Cavell: “I really want to thank him for saving for my life. If he wasn’t there, I think it would have been a different situation.”

Mr Cavell said: “I ran to the girl and just started hitting the dogs with the mop. I was just glad Chloe and her dog were okay and will make a full recovery.”

The teenager was taken to Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford with severe bite marks, scratches and a head injury while her dog’s leg was “a bit mangled”.

Her mother Sharon Reilly called Mr Cavell an “absolute hero” and said the owners of the Staffies had taken full responsibility and put the dogs down. She said: “Daniel saved my daughter’s life. I will be forever indebted to him and his mum.” The animals had escaped through the owners’ garden fence, which was damaged during the recent storm, she said.

Mrs Reilly added: “The owners are trying to come to terms with the fact the dogs attacked and are deeply upset that they have been put to sleep, but they understand that was the right thing to do.”

There have been 421 serious dog attacks in London in a year.

News of the attack comes after four-year-old Lexi Branson was mauled to death by her family’s [American Bulldog] yesterday at her home near Leicester. Her mother Jodi stabbed and killed the animal as her daughter was shaken “like a rag doll”.

Police were investigating the death of Lexi today. Her family said “she will be our shining star in the sky”.

(Evening Standard - Nov 6, 2013)