DJ's dog left fighting for its life after an out of control Staffie attacked them both while they were out walking

UNITED KINGDOM -- A DJ was seriously injured and his dog was left fighting for its life after a Staffordshire bull terrier attacked them while they were out on a walk.

Musician Dan Baxter was left in hospital for three days after he needed surgery when his hands were bitten by the out of control dog.

His King Charles spaniel Giz meanwhile had a chunk bitten out of his stomach during the attack.

Mr Baxter, aka Peter Parker, a DJ and turntablist with jazz outfit Fingathing, was forced to pull out of his band's tour because of his injuries.

 

The attack took place as he was coming to the end of a walk in Alexandra Park, Manchester, last Wednesday.

Mr Baxter said: 'I called Giz but noticed a big dog between us. The dude walking him was on his phone nearby. The Staffie was wagging his tail at first - but then he stopped, and I began calling Giz more sternly.'

The Staffordshire bull terrier then ran at Giz and grabbed the dog between its teeth.

Mr Baxter, 37, from Whalley Range, jumped on the two dogs in an attempt to break them up while the man walking the Staffie stayed on his phone.

Mr Baxter said: 'The Staffie clearly wasn’t this guy’s dog - he was on the phone asking someone how to control it. There was no command he could use.

'It was horrible and just went on and on. In the end I ran out of strength trying to get him off - the guy walking it tried too, he was pulling at the Staffie, but we couldn’t do anything.'

When the dog finally let go of Giz it turned on Mr Baxter and sank its teeth into his hands.

He said: 'Its eyes were bulging out of its head. When he let go I looked down and blood was gushing from the puncture holes. I was in shock, holding Giz by me and telling him it was going to be okay.'

After the staffie let go it was punched in the face by its walker, before it was walked off.

Residents rallied to help Mr Baxter and his dog, offering towels and taking them to the vet. Mr Baxter was later referred to Wythenshawe Hospital for surgery.

Giz died on the operating table but was resuscitated. With the vet bill at £1,000 and rising, friends have set up fundraising sites to help pay for it.

Mr Baxter hopes to use any extra money to fund ‘Paws for thought’ signs for Alexandra Park, warning dog walkers against letting potentially dangerous pets off their leads.

Mr Baxter and girlfriend Fiona Daniel, 30, who is also a musician, have had Giz since he was a puppy.

He said: 'The vet has warned us it will get worse before it’s better. I can’t use my hands to DJ so I’m spending all my time caring for Giz. I’m even sleeping with him on a mattress downstairs.

'What’s shocking is that when I was in hospital three out of the four beds had people with dog attacks in. One had had his ear bitten off.

'These kids are buying dogs for the same price as a knife and training them as weapons. It needs to be stopped. It’s not the dogs - it’s the owners.'

Police confirmed the incident and said officers are investigating.

(Daily Mail - Dec 13, 2013)