United Kingdom: Cavapoo puppy savaged by killer pit bull as owner played with it in Barrow garden

UNITED KINGDOM -- A woman is urging dog owners to take care after her young puppy was torn to pieces in her garden during a savage pit bull attack.

Debbie Daniels, of Flass Meadows in Barrow, is looking to raise awareness about the dangers of not keeping dogs on a lead after her 11-week old puppy was killed in a grisly attack.

The 50-year-old was playing with her puppy, Millie, in her garden when she caught sight of a larger dog on the other side of the fence.

 

Ms Daniels said: "I was sitting on the step and she was playing by the fence when I saw the dog across the road and noticed it was off its lead. It had come over and was pushing its nose against the fence so I picked Millie up and started to walk back to the house.

"I didn't think for a minute that it was going to burst through the fence."

As Ms Daniels ran back to the house, the dog jumped up and grabbed Millie out of her hands.

The dog then clamped its jaws around the tiny Cavapoo and started to shake it around.

Despite being in a state of shock, Ms Daniels grabbed hold of the dog and tried to keep it still until help arrived.

After hearing the commotion, Ms Daniel's friend and neighbor, Margaret Stagg, ran down the lane and dove on top of the dog.

She said: "I just heard this scream and I knew there was something horribly wrong. I ran out of my front door - I didn't even put any shoes on. I ran as fast as I could. Debbie was crying her eyes out.

"I just got on my knees and got on top of it and put its head to the floor."

Mrs Stagg did her best to release Millie by trying to pry open its mouth but found the dog too strong.

She said: "I will see its little face forever and ever. She was looking at me as if she were pleading with me to save her.

"I tried to pull the dog's jaws apart and Debbie threw water over it but I could see that she had died."

Mrs Stagg's sister, Mavis Lakeland, ran to the house after hearing the scream and believes the dog should have been on a lead.

She said: "The dog walker just stood there saying 'I didn't know the dog would do that', but what was he doing walking a dog like that off the lead?"

The friends are now calling for dog owners to take more responsibility and keep their dogs on leads to prevent another vicious attack happening again.

Ms Daniels said: "That incident could have been kids playing in the garden with a fluffy toy. Please, just be aware when there are little dogs about."

(NWE Mail UK - Aug 5, 2016)