A BANGOR pensioner fears for public safety after authorities failed to bring to justice two dogs which attacked his beloved pet.
Nigel Stanley was forced to pay £376 in vet bills after his dog, Gladys, was attacked by two unleashed dogs back in September.
Having reported the attack to the police and the dog warden, the 75 year-old said he is ‘frustrated’ by their ‘apparent lack of concern’ to bring the owner of the two dogs to justice.
Mr Stanley’s complaints follow a similar case last month, in which a dog and owner were viciously mauled by two unleashed dogs in the Kilcooley estate.
Describing the attack, Mr Stanley recalled how he had left his house to walk his dog, a 13 year-old Norfolk Terrier cross, along the Donaghadee Road in Bangor, on September 16.
He explained: “I became aware of a man fending off two large dogs across the road. He was actually trying to protect his wife from them because they had gone for her.
“I was taking my dog out for a walk and as soon as they saw Gladys they went for her.”
Mr Stanley described the dogs as being large – one being a dark coloured German Shepherd and the other a bully breed.
Gladys suffered bites to her stomach and Mr Stanley took a number of lacerations to his hands from his attempts to remove the dogs from his pet.
“Eventually the neighbours got the dogs corralled into a front garden up the road and I took my dog to safety at that stage,” Mr Stanley recounted.
With the dog warden unavailable at the weekend, the neighbours contacted the police to attend.
Taking his dog to safety, Mr Stanley brought her to the vet on discovering her wounds.
“I think she was lucky to have gotten away so lightly,” he stated, noting that he stayed four-and–a-half hours at the vets in Belfast.
With the dog warden back on duty that Monday, Mr Stanley and a witness made a statement about the attack.
Mr Stanley noted that there was a possible lead to identification of the dog owner.
“The dog warden should have the powers to demand that identity – which I certainly haven’t,” Mr Stanley stated.
“Similarly, when I spoke to the police, the only response I received was that it was a matter for the dog warden.”
Mr Stanley continued: “I have a very strong feeling that the attack in Kilcooley was possibly by the same dogs and they’ve been relocated. It’s so similar.
“If they are the same dogs involved in both events, and certainly in the case of my own dog, the owner is not competent to control them and something should be done about that.
“If it is the same dogs in both events, there has been a failure from the start, in dealing with it.”
He added: “If my case had been dealt with promptly and it was the same dogs that attacked, the second attack would have been prevented.”
Mr Stanley concluded: “We are into November now and this happened in September and there has been no positive feedback on any of it.
“Obviously I am a pensioner and £376 doesn’t come that easily.”
A spokesman from Ards and North Down Council, stated that the incident was subject to an ongoing investigation and so they were unable to comment further at this time.
“Council takes all reports of this manner very seriously and carries out thorough investigations in a timely and robust manner,” the spokesperson said.
A PSNI spokesperson stated: “Police received a report of two aggressive dogs on the loose in the Donaghadee Road area of Bangor on Saturday, September 16.
“The owner of the dogs was located, and the animals were secured. The council dog warden was also notified.”
