A dog walker has described the heartbreaking moment an XL Bully mauled her young dog to death at a beauty spot in Lancashire.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, was taking her three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier named Alfie out for a walk when an out-of-control dog lunged at the pair.
The XL bully has been on the run since Wednesday afternoon after the attack on a path off Burnley Road East, in Waterfoot, Rossendale.
Alfie, the Staffordshire bull terrier, died of his injuries while the woman was left with an injury to her hand.
A 29-year-old man from Rossendale was arrested on suspicion of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control on Saturday. He was released on bail pending a further investigation.
But terrifyingly she has claimed to Metro the owner of the XL Bully ‘deliberately’ let it off the lead after they had already managed to get away from it.
She said: ‘I was on my own and only five minutes away from home when suddenly there was this massive dog next to us. It began circling and then got a hold on Alfie.’
The woman said she was able to take Alfie’s lead off of him and wrap it around the XL Bully’s neck to drag him away.
But she claims the dog’s owner began punching it in the face and putting it on a lead before turning on the woman, shouting at her and calling her names as she walked away.
She said had moved less than five metres when the XL Bully came back to attack them again, despite the man having placed it on its leash.
The woman claims she felt, ‘he had clearly deliberately let his dog off again’.
She said: ‘I can’t remember much of what happened after that. I was on the ground and the dog was just going for Alfie. When he fell down, I could tell straight away he was dead.’
The woman walking Alfie was left with an injury to her hand which is not thought to be serious.
Almost a week after the attack, enquiries are ‘still ongoing to locate the dog,’ Lancashire Police said.
But the woman is still unable to eat and sleep properly as the family have been left ‘devastated’ by Alfie’s death.
She said: ‘Alfie was just so important to us. My step son died three years ago, and as we had just got alfie he helped fill the hole in the family and was a really great support.’
Residents are avoiding walking their dogs in fear of coming across the XL Bully, which police have still not located.
Lancashire Police launched an appeal as ‘efforts are continuing to locate the XL bully.’
They have released footage of the XL bully, showing a beige and white animal with a red or leather collar.
A spokesperson said: ‘We would ask anyone with information on its whereabouts or anyone who witnessed the incident on Wednesday to contact the police.’
Since the end of January, the breeding, selling, advertising and rehoming of XL bully dogs was made illegal by the Conservative government.
Under the legislation, it also became an offence to own an XL bully unless it was registered and it is compliant with the requirements.
The legislation was brought after a string of deadly attacks last year linked to suspected XL American bully dogs.
In August, Nicholas Glass, 32, was found dead in Rubery, Birmingham after he was mauled to death by four dogs, including two XL bullies.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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