A horrified dog owner tried in vain to stop a dog from attacking and killing her beloved pet terrier. Elwira Wansorra was left to watch as the Japanese Akita, which locals say had previously killed another dog, savaged her nine-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Nobby.
She was outside her home in Hounslow, West London, with two of her dogs. They ran across the road in front of her home to greet the Akita.
But within seconds, she claims, the large Akita attacked Nobby. Elwira told the Mirror : "As soon as my dog saw her coming, they ran up to play with her dog. It was a matter of seconds before he attacked.
"The moment I realised what was going on I started to try to stop the dog from biting him. Nobby managed to run away across the street and lie on the pavement.
"The dog then attacked my other dog, pushing her to the ground. I managed to jump on him and put my fist into his mouth."
Once the attack was over Elwira rushed with her dogs to the vets, but Nobby died on the way. The beauty salon owner said: "The injuries were so bad that we didn't manage to get to the vets. He bit him almost all the way through."
Elwira claims the Japanese Akita killed another dog several years ago and was the subject of a court order requiring him to wear a muzzle. Since Nobby was killed the dog has been under the care of a dog warden.
Elwira told the Mirror: "We're scared for the dog to come back. I have been traumatised. I am going to the therapist. I can't control the emotions.
"All these stories I have heard about this dog, he can't come back to the area, we have all agreed. We all want to live in a peaceful and safe neighbourhood, without fear of letting our pets or children go outside."
Elwira says she doesn't want the other pooch to be put down, but is calling for mandatory training for the owners of large dogs: "I believe that the owners of dangerous breed dogs should be trained to learn how to handle them. It's all up to the owners how dogs are raised.
"I had a Rottweiler for 14 years and he never attacked anyone or became aggressive. He weighed 65kg."
Each year some 200,000 people are attacked by dogs in England. Since 2005 hospital admissions as a result of a dog attack have increased by 81%.
Dealing with dog bites costs the NHS just shy of £71million in the financial year 2017-18, while thousands of survivors are known to suffer trauma long after the event. While Elwira was not physically hurt herself by the dog, she has been left to grieve the death of her beloved Nobby.
"He was a lovely dog," she said. "He was born in our home and he was very friendly.
"I gave birth to my daughter a year and a half ago, and the way he was attached to her is really heartbreaking. He never left her side. They slept and played together.
"Before I had a baby I treated him as a baby. He didn't deserve to die this way."
The Metropolitan Police was contacted for comment.
