Dog owner left petrified after Labrador attacked by Staffie

Nicola West took her five-year-old medical alert Labrador, Toby, out for his evening walk around Sherfield on Tuesday last week (May 11).

After circling the field Nicola noticed a couple let their foxy red brown Staffordshire Bull Terrier off the lead and whithin minutes it headed over to Toby.

Nicola told the Gazette: “Toby sniffed the Staffie and then the Staffie tried to sniff Toby and then he just went through his throat.

“I tried to put my fingers in the Staffie’s mouth to press his tongue down to see if he would release but he just clamped on even tighter.

“I just had to squeeze the dog’s throat and after about eight minutes and he eventually released. The owners stood for about five minutes watching and then they came over but didn’t really help.”

Toby's injuries

Nicola said the dog owners, a woman with blond hair and a 5ft 11 man wearing a beanie, asked if Toby was okay but she began to have a panic attack and was struggling to talk or breath.

The owners then walked off and Nicola realised Toby was seriously injured and needed to be taken to an emergency out of hours veterinary surgery in Reading.

Talking about how the incident affected her, Nicola said: “I feel terrified, it was petrifying, and I now try and avoid places that have dogs in them.

“I reported it to the police and the dog warden, and they’ve said the dog is dangerous and needs to be found.”

Nicola and her husband Mike have had to fork out almost £500 in vet bills and want the owners of the dog to come forward to help cover the cost.

“A smaller dog than Toby wouldn’t have stood a chance or even worse a child. I just want them to come forward and own up to their dog’s mistake. I want them to pay for Toby’s treatment and the dog warden needs to deal with them.

“I know not all Staffordshire bull terriers are aggressive, we had one before and it was very friendly, it’s down to the owner and how they are trained.

“If any other people are out with their dogs, please beware and keep your dog safe. I hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else it’s very traumatic.”

A Hampshire police spokesperson told the Gazette: “At 9.42pm on May 13, we received reports that a Labrador support dog was attacked in Sherfield Park by another dog, reported to be a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. No arrests have been made in connection to this incident, and the dog's owner was advised to speak to the local dog warden."

Anyone with information should contact hampshire police here and quote the crime reference number INC20210513-2349.