Dog breeder who lost his arm after being savaged by his own American Bulldogs arrested after his remaining animals attacked three people

UNITED KINGDOM -- A dog breeder who nearly died after being savaged by his own pets has been arrested after the animals went on another violent rampage.

Stephen Potts had to have his arm amputated when two of his American bulldogs turned on him during a frenzied attack last month.

The 48-year-old was arrested today, only days after returning home from hospital, when his animals attacked three people.

Just hours before the attack, Potts declared his love for the animals and insisted that they were not to blame for the horrific injuries he suffered during the ‘freak incident’.

But another incident involving his animals unfolded today as Potts was walking six of them, which can weigh up to 60kg.

The violence began when his pets are said to have pounced on another dog that was being walked by its owner.


The dog-walker was in a serious condition in hospital after Potts’s dogs turned on him during the incident, while a woman was also injured.

Another woman who was standing nearby the scene of the attack was also receiving treatment last night after one of the dogs pounced on her.

Potts was saved following extensive surgery last month after his dogs turned on him when, according to him, they were "spooked" by loud fireworks.

 

The two animals involved in the incident, which he had owned for six years, were killed by police immediately after. But Potts still houses 14 dogs in kennels beside his home in Pittington, Durham, despite the recent attack in which he was dragged around the ground screaming.

The powerful breed is not banned, unlike American pit bulls.

Onlookers tried to stop the powerful animals mauling Potts by striking them with golf clubs and spades, with one neighbour even driving into them in a car.

A huge search operation involving a police helicopter was launched for the dangerous animals when they let go of Potts and ran away.

Speaking yesterday before the incident which led to his arrest, Potts reflected on his injuries and said: ‘I still love my pets. I’ve lost an arm and I very nearly lost my life but I won’t have anyone blame the dogs for what happened,’ he said.

‘As far as I’m concerned the worst thing that happened was that they had to be destroyed.’

 

The father-of-two nearly lost his left arm in the incident as well and credits a local anaesthetist for keeping him alive until an ambulance arrived.

‘I still have 14 American bulldogs and I just want people to know it wasn’t the fault of the dogs or the breed, my dogs are big but they’re good natured, this was a freak incident,’ he said.

‘I feel terrible they were destroyed, they were both lovely dogs and I miss them.'

He blamed the attack on the explosions from loud fireworks at a nearby hotel that startled the ‘timid’ dogs.

Potts said that he did not breed the dogs for money but to help cope with the depression he has suffered after his son committed suicide two years ago.

Yesterday’s attack took place in the Belmont area of Durham City at lunchtime.

The 63-year-old victim was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham with injuries to his limbs and head.

One of the female victims suffered bites to her hand and the other with injuries to her leg.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: ‘A 48-year-old man from Pittington has been arrested in connection with the incident.

‘He is currently being questioned by officers at Durham City police station.’

The police also confirmed that all the dogs involved had been secured.

(Daily Mail - Oct 21, 2014)

Earlier:

• Horror as man gets arm ‘ripped off’ by his two American bulldogs as they maul him in the street despite frantic efforts of neighbours to fight them off with umbrellas and golf clubs