Lucky escape for Mandy and her dog after horror attack

Mandy Holten says Dottie is lucky to be alive after she was repeatedly attacked in Quay Meadow, near Lancaster Castle, at one point nearly being dragged off into the bushes.

Luckily, four teenagers saw the attack and ran to their aid, followed by a man out walking his own dog, who managed to distract the savage animal so Mandy and Dottie could escape.

Mandy, who also suffered deep bite wounds to her arm, was out walking Dottie for her friends Lynne and Andrew Long, who run the Slip Inn Emporium in Lancaster, on April 7 at around 5.45pm.

She said that while Dottie was looking for her ball in the grass, a “large and dangerous dog” suddenly appeared and rushed at the Jack Russell, who immediately submitted.

“It sank its teeth into her and shook her. The dog did not obey its owner and Dottie was getting seriously injured,” said Mandy. “I tried to fight it off with my walking pole but these had no effect.

“I saw some teenagers on the other side of the field and screamed for help.

“It took four 17-year-old boys to get Dottie out of its jaws and they had to stand on its neck to achieve this.”

The dog then attacked again, pulling Dottie from Mandy’s arms, and a struggle ensued. Mandy tried to hold Dottie above her head but the dog savaged her arm.

“Luckily a man with a dog appeared and began to shout,” said Mandy.

Both Mandy and Dottie, a nine-year-old rescue dog from Lancaster’s Animal Care, were bleeding heavily when they arrived at Lancaster Railway Station. Police and an ambulance attended the scene, and Mandy was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, while Dottie received treatment at Lancaster Veterinary Centre in Bowerham.

Police visited the home of the pit bull’s owner after the incident, and the dog is now believed to have been destroyed.

A spokesman said no charges have been brought.