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WANSTEAD: Dog walker and pet mauled by bull mastiff
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| Gwen Marsh with her dog Polly in the vets after the attack |
POLICE are searching for two people after a dog walker and her pet terrier were savagely attacked by a vicious bull mastiff.
Gwen Marsh was left black and blue and covered in teeth marks, while her dog Polly remains at the vets in a fragile condition having narrowing escaped death during the incident in Wanstead Park on Sunday, May 4.
Miss Marsh was badly bitten trying to stop the 120lb dog that had locked it's jaws around her Yorkshire Terrier's tiny body during their regular afternoon stroll at around 3pm.
She said: "It was the most horribly awful and frightening moment of my life.
"I saw a young man and a huge dog without a lead coming towards us so I tried to change paths.
"But even before I could pick Polly up the dog knocked me over and there was nothing I could do.
"All I could see of Polly was her head and her tail and there was blood everywhere."
The school administration assistant from Wanstead came face to face with the animal shortly after speaking to a woman who was looking for the apparently friendly, honey coloured bull-dog.
The woman ran over after the attack but the couple hurriedly vacated the park, heading up Warren Road, after Miss Marsh received a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse from the man, who blamed her for the incident.
Miss Marsh who had to to be treated for injuries at Whipps Cross Hospital said: "The couple showed absolutely no remorse and the way they dealt with it was as bad as the ferocity of the dog."
Park ranger Gordon Mekinay said incidents like this have happened before in Redbridge parks and that dog control orders should be brought in to keep pets on leads in public places.
He added: "Everyone thinks their dog is safe but you never know when it will become a savage animal.
"Children play in these areas and no one should be bringing a dog they can't control into a park."
Miss Marsh describes the couple as slim and in their late twenties.
The woman had shoulder-length blonde hair, wore a white cardigan and was slightly taller than the man at about 5 ft 9 inches.
The man had thick, curly black hair and was wearing a blue and white sports top.
4:56pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Mr khalid, walthamstows on 10:00pm Thu 8 May 08
is a bad think this big dog chaseded me in the park abots in the leyton laster yaers and do biteded my jaket slev and tereded this and dog oner lagh me and run way and i tel policemans and they say the dog have many and musted bans this big dog more than the 1 feet
is a bad think this big dog chaseded me in the park abots in the leyton laster yaers and do biteded my jaket slev and tereded this and dog oner lagh me and run way and i tel policemans and they say the dog have many and musted bans this big dog more than the 1 feet
Posted by: Observer (original) on 10:27pm Thu 8 May 08
The bloody dog ought to have been more hungry and swallowed you, you idiot.
The bloody dog ought to have been more hungry and swallowed you, you idiot.
Posted by: Chris, Essex on 11:49am Fri 9 May 08
I feel so sorry for this lady and her pet. It must have been terrifying for them both.
I do not have a dog as a pet but one hears of so many incidents like this that I am thinking of getting any device that can repel these animals (including their lunatic owners). Does anyone know of such a thing (like a tazer for dogs say) that is legal to carry?
I feel so sorry for this lady and her pet. It must have been terrifying for them both.
I do not have a dog as a pet but one hears of so many incidents like this that I am thinking of getting any device that can repel these animals (including their lunatic owners). Does anyone know of such a thing (like a tazer for dogs say) that is legal to carry?
Posted by: emm, uk on 12:37am Sat 10 May 08
Im sorry but no dog can lock its jaws. One of my friends has a bullmastiff he recued, and he stayed puppy-like even when fully grown, tho hees abit shy.
but i hope pollys ok she does look sweet in the pic
Im sorry but no dog can lock its jaws. One of my friends has a bullmastiff he recued, and he stayed puppy-like even when fully grown, tho hees abit shy.
but i hope pollys ok she does look sweet in the pic
Posted by: Myself, Leyton on 1:12pm Mon 2 Jun 08
"Children play in these areas and no one should be bringing a dog they can't control into a park."
Point 1: This statement by the ranger is utterly stupid and obvious that it makes this case look ten times worse.
"I saw a young man and a huge dog without a lead coming towards us so I tried to change paths.
"But even before I could pick Polly up the dog knocked me over and there was nothing I could do.
Point two: You tried to change paths but then you say you tried to pick the dog up? Make up your mind.
Miss Marsh was badly bitten trying to stop the 120lb dog that had locked it's jaws around her Yorkshire Terrier's tiny body during their regular afternoon stroll at around 3pm.
Point three: In accomplance with a previous comment, no dog allowed in the UK can ''Lock its Jaws'' and if this was the case she would have had the bull-mastif stuck to her arm and the small rat at the same time.... Spare me the sob story but this is utterly ridiculous and exaggerated it seems, i feel sorry for the couple who dog probably escaped by accident and there was nothing they could do.
"Children play in these areas and no one should be bringing a dog they can't control into a park."
Point 1: This statement by the ranger is utterly stupid and obvious that it makes this case look ten times worse.
"I saw a young man and a huge dog without a lead coming towards us so I tried to change paths.
"But even before I could pick Polly up the dog knocked me over and there was nothing I could do.
Point two: You tried to change paths but then you say you tried to pick the dog up? Make up your mind.
Miss Marsh was badly bitten trying to stop the 120lb dog that had locked it's jaws around her Yorkshire Terrier's tiny body during their regular afternoon stroll at around 3pm.
Point three: In accomplance with a previous comment, no dog allowed in the UK can ''Lock its Jaws'' and if this was the case she would have had the bull-mastif stuck to her arm and the small rat at the same time.... Spare me the sob story but this is utterly ridiculous and exaggerated it seems, i feel sorry for the couple who dog probably escaped by accident and there was nothing they could do.
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