Dog attack laws now have much more bite

The woman, who does not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, was taken to hospital with injuries to her hands, arms and thigh. Her dog was rushed to an emergency vet for treatment including his neck and ear being stapled.

Terrifying attacks like this are not uncommon. A Bedfordshire Police Freedom of Information response revealed there were 42 recorded incidents of dogs injuring people in Luton and Dunstable in the 12 months up to March 2012.

Stricter sentencing laws were introduced this week, which could see irresponsible owners of vicious dogs facing 18 months in prison if their dog harms a member of the public.

The woman attacked in Luton said: “It was the scariest moment of my life. I was walking along the road when a pitbull-cross ran out of an open front door and launched itself straight at my dog’s throat, just inches from his jugular.

“My instinct took over to protect us both and I was not going to stand there and watch my dog die in front of my eyes so I tried as best as I could to pull my dog away, while hitting and shouting at the other dog to make him let go.

“It turned on me and gave me two vicious bites to my right leg and crushed the ligament in my left hand. I also have puncture wounds, bites and scratches up both arms.

“The police keep referring to my incident as a dog fight but there is a big difference. If they were both off the lead in a park that’s a fight – walking along a public walkway and having a vicious dog running out of a house is an unprovoked attack.

“All I am concerned about is if that dog does it again to a smaller dog who might not survive, or a dog being walked by a child or an elderly person.”

Other incidents recorded by Beds Police include a three- year-old bitten on the eye, a six-year-old bitten on the arm and leg and a 12-year-old bitten on the hand. Of the dogs whose breeds were known, seven were Staffordshire bull terriers, two bull mastiffs, two Rottweilers and one Alsatian.

A Beds Police spokesperson said: “It is a criminal offence to have dangerous dogs out of control in a public place. If a dog is deemed to be in a public place and out of control then a victim can file criminal proceedings.”