Owners of dog left needing six hours of surgery after mauling by another dog 'massively let down' by police response
9 January 2023, 22:48
The owners of a dog that needed six hours of surgery after a vicious attack by another dog have said they feel "massively let down" by the police's decision not to seize the aggressive canine.
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Hugo, a two-year-old cavapoo, was attacked by another dog in Brighton last Wednesday morning as he was being walked on a lead. Hugo's owner Louise needed seven stitches after also being bitten in the attack.
The injured pet is still at the vet after his traumatic ordeal and extensive surgery. The dog that attacked him had to be beaten off with baseball bats by nearby builders.
But police decided not to seize the dangerous dog that bit Hugo "for now" because it is not a banned breed and does not have any history of aggression.
The owners have instead been told to keep the dog, and another that they own, on a lead and muzzled at all times in public.
But Louise said she was "astonished" by the move, adding: “I’m feeling desperately frustrated by the police’s decision,
Louise’s partner told local paper the Argus: “I am a huge dog lover and I grew up with an alsatian.
“I am very pro large dogs and have total faith in all dogs being able to be well behaved and safe if treated and brought up correctly.
“But the dogs which attacked Hugo acted dangerously.
“They did not stop until they thought Hugo was dead. Witnesses thought he was dead, his body looked lifeless.
“Of course, it is awful that Hugo was hurt but what is even worse is that Louise was bitten too. We have been massively let down by the police.”
It is against the law for a dog to be dangerously out of control anywhere:
- in a public place
- in a private place, for example a neighbour’s house or garden
- in the owner’s home
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'Dangerously out of control' means if it injures someone or makes someone worried that it might injure them.
Punishment for having a dangerous dog can be severe. You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to six months, or both, and you may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog could be put down.
Anyone who lets their dog injure someone could be jailed for as long as five years or fined, or both.
Detective Superintendent Rachel Carr said: “We understand this was a distressing incident - not only for the victim, but for the wider community.
“An investigation was launched immediately, which included visiting the owners of the aggressor dog and carrying out a safety assessment of two animals at the address.
“As a result, the dogs’ owners have been ordered to keep them muzzled and on a lead in public and not left unattended in public at any time. Any garden areas must also be securely fenced so they are unable to escape.
Det Supt added that the victim and the owner of the aggressor dog agreed to the conditions of a community order.
She said: “As neither of the dogs are banned breeds and have no previous history of aggression, a decision was taken to impose safety restrictions rather than seize and potentially destroy them. This was overseen by our force lead for dangerous dogs."
