Dog Dies In Animal Attack

Police are looking for the owners of a dog that attacked a woman and killed her pet West Highland Terrier in Liverpool. It happened on East Millwood Road in Speke on Monday night. The out of control dark coloured brown dog had to be shot dead by armed officers. It's understood the woman was hurt as she tried to protect her dog Daisy. Police released the following statement:

Patrols were called to a house in East Millwood Road at 9pm by a woman reporting that a dark brown coloured dog was attacking her dog and had also bitten her.

Officers arrived approximately 9.15pm and managed to contain the dog in the front garden of a neighbour’s house house however it continued to behave aggressively and could not be subdued and posed a threat to members of the public and officers.

Armed officers were deployed and it was decided that the dog should be humanely destroyed in order to protect the public. This happened just before 10pm.

The victim's dog, a black West Highland Terrier called ‘Daisy’, died as a result of being attacked.

The woman, who is in her 40s, suffered bites to her arm and hand which are believed to have occurred when she tried to intervene in the initial attack.

She was treated by paramedics and is currently undergoing surgery at Whiston Hospital.

Fortunately no-one else was injured during the incident.

Inspector Gareth Phelps, from the Dogs and Mounted Section at Merseyside Police, said:

"This was a horrific attack on a woman and her dog that unfortunately resulted in the death of both animals.

“Clearly the destruction of any animal is not something we as a police force take lightly, and in this instance considerable efforts were made to control the animal. However, the dog continued to behave in such an aggressive way and posed such a danger to the public that the decision was made to destroy the animal before anyone else could be hurt.

“Thankfully no one else was injured during this incident but things could have been very different.

“This incident should serve as reminder that being a pet owner, and particularly a dog owner, brings with it accountability and responsibility and no dog should be allowed to be so dangerously out of control in any place.”

Enquiries are on-going to establish who, if anyone, is the owner of the offending dog which is believed to be a Staffordshire bull terrier but this has yet to be determined.

Anyone with information about this incident or anyone with concerns regarding the behaviour of a dog in your area should contact Merseyside Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.