Dog attack on Russell Terrace around 5:45pm Monday 10th July - witnesses please!

Caroline from Berhampore

Hi neighbours
I was walking my golden retriever George on leash yesterday evening, with a friend and her small dogs. We went up Russell Terrace on the footpath, past Newtown Park, and were heading towards the council access road to the skatepark, back of the zoo, and athletic track. There was a station wagon / van with an open sliding door parked up in the gravel park by the skate park, a tan pitbull in the van saw us from a distance and took off for us like a rocket. It immediately attacked my dog, latching onto his neck. I attempted to block, kick it off etc. Every time George shook it off him it would dive back in and latch on again.

I was pushed back into the street, while still hanging onto George's leash and trying to rotate them to get myself between them. The owner showed up and couldn't get hold of his dog who was 100% committed to the attack. By then I'd been knocked onto my back with both dogs on top of me, and the man on top of his dog trying to pin it. He eventually managed to get it off and half dragged it back to his vehicle, threw it in and drove off.

On the positive, entirely miraculously I didn't get bitten but am quite banged up from being thrown to the ground. George has some minor scrapes and a puncture in his ear and is still tense and shaken. He was wearing a thick collar, an LED lighting collar, a scarf and his leash. The pitbull was fixated on his neck which was protected by all his gear. So although it locked on his neck there were no punctures. George is a big strong boy and managed to keep on his feet.

A number of very kind people stopped cars and bikes while this was happening. One got the car registration. It's been reported to the police and also to animal control who are trying to track down the driver and have asked if the witnesses would mind coming forward. We were too shaken to take your details. The fact that it came after us from a distance, attack was both completely unprovoked and sustained is worrying to them. Can you either DM me or message me below if you witnessed this! It was a dark grey kinda station wagon / van thing with a sliding door. Registration BQB816. The dog was a mid size tan pitbull.