Blind dog savaged in park by bull terrier in attack that lasted for 15 minutes

UNITED KINGDOM -- A dad told of his horror after the blind dog he was walking was savaged by a bull terrier in a park.

Darren Guy said German shepherd terrier cross Gypsy was grabbed round the neck by the other dog in the vicious attack.

Darren, from Toxteth in Liverpool, told the Liverpool Echo: “I was taking my girlfriend’s dog, who's deaf and blind, with my daughter to Sefton Park down towards the lake. We went over some steps and the dog was up against a fence and the next thing, the other dog went down the hill and grabbed Gypsy by the neck. I ran down to help and my daughter was screaming.”

14-year-old Gypsy lost a lot of skin around her neck and had to have urgent surgery.

Darren, 51, said the attack continued for 15 minutes before he managed to get the dog off. He then took Gypsy to the vet, where she had large stitches placed in her neck.

Gypsy’s owner, Keelin Sweeney, said she panicked when she heard what happened. She said: “Darren rang me and told me people started to help. I just absolutely panicked, I couldn’t get there quick enough. I'm still in shock really and fearful they haven't seized the dog.”

Keelin, 41, added that Gypsy's injuries looked like a “torn rag” and the dog lost “a lot of skin."

She called for the actions of pets to be considered rather than the breed and added she wanted to see a change in legislation.

Currently the Dangerous Dogs Act only lists what breeds are banned.

The university student, from Aigburth in Liverpool, said: “It shouldn't matter what breed a dog is, the focus should be on what the dog does. This was a dangerous attack, who's to say it won't happen again?

“Gypsy didn't even see the dog coming. It's going to take her weeks to get over this.”

The dog which attacked Gypsy was not a banned breed. According to police, it was a Staffordshire bull terrier.

A spokesman for the force said: “As the dog who attacked the other dog was not a banned breed, no criminal offences under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act have been committed.

“However enquiries are continuing to establish if an offence of allowing any breed of dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place (Section 3 of the DDA) has been committed.

“At this time all options under existing legislation are being considered.“Neighbourhood officers have also requested that the owner of the offending dog attends Admiral Street police station.”

(Daily Mirror - Feb 3, 2014)