WHO do you call when a dog attacks another dog?
That’s the question Slaithwaite dog lover Christine Sykes is asking after she found herself in the middle of a ferocious dog attack with no-one to turn to.
Mrs Sykes was forced to step into a frenzied dog-on-dog attack in her Slaithwaite back garden last month.
As reported last week dog owner Andrew Smithies endured a terrifying half-hour battle to free his Collie Max from the clutches of a loose Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Now Mrs Sykes, who went out to help save the nine-year-old dog, is asking why there is no help available from the authorities.
Mrs Sykes said she had rung 999 and was referred to the Kirklees Council dog warden service.
But when she rang that number it went straight to answerphone.
She said: “Who do you ring; the police aren’t interested and the dog wardens don’t work evenings or weekends?”
Mrs Smith confirmed the attack on September 18 had lasted for more than half-an-hour and said both she and the owner had received minor injuries as they battled the out-of-control Staffie.
She said: “It was literally like a lion ripping another animal apart.
“My garden looked like a butcher’s shop afterwards. I had to hose down the lawn and the fence – there was blood everywhere.
“I knew if we didn’t get it out of the garden the other dog would be dead.
“We were all over the garden fighting with it so I ran an got a garden chair and flattened them with it.
“In that split second the Staffie let go and looked at me so we shoved it out of the garden and I slammed the gate shut.
“But it still got Max’s ear through the gate and then started attacking the gate trying to get back in.
“I got cut when I tried to pull the dog’s head off Max and my arm was bruised.”
Almost one month on Mrs Sykes said she was still angry about the incident.
She added: “If you’re going to own one of these dogs it should be muzzled at all times.
“I’ve had big dogs all my life and had no problems but every other person I meet now has a Staffie and there’s always problems. It’s just chance that man didn’t have his little girl with him.
“It’s the second attack that Staffie has done and it was loose again the following weekend.
“With people it’s lovely but with other dogs it’s mental.
“I rang the police again and they weren’t interested.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman, said people should continue to ring 999 whether a dog was attacking another dog or a human.
He said: “Each case is considered on an individual basis. If a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place, people are advised to contact either the police or the council’s dog wardens who will be able to advise accordingly, taking into account the specific circumstances of the incident.”
A Kirklees Council spokeswoman said: “This particular attack is already being investigated and statements are being taken. Attacks will be investigated if they are reported to the dog wardens.”
