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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sam Elliott-Gibbs

Hunt for mystery dogwalker after Asda attack in same town boy and gran mauled to death

Police are hunting a dog owner following an attack in a supermarket car park in the same town where a boy and great-gran were mauled to death by out-of-control animals.

They want to speak a mystery man in Caerphilly, South Wales, and have issued a photograph as the force try to track him down.

The Welsh town has been described as a 'hot-spot' for dangerous and aggressive dogs in the past few years.

Gwent Police revealed that an ASDA shopper was walking their dog on a lead when it was approached by an off-lead animal - described as a mastiff cross great Dane.

It was then attacked and needed urgent treatment at a local vets.

The Asda attack came months after Shirley Patrick suffered a "violent and unnatural" death (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Jack Lis was killed after being invited to his school friend's house in the town to meet the new family dog (PA)

It comes three months after Shirley Patrick, 83, died in hospital two weeks after being attacked by an XL Bully cross which was subsequently seized by police and destroyed as her grieving family called for change.

The attack happened almost exactly a year after ten-year-old Jack Lis was fatally savaged at a house in Pentwyn in Penyrheol - just a few streets away from where Shirley was injured.

The latest incident is reported to have taken place in the car park of the branch on Pontygwindy Road, Caerphilly at around 4.30pm on Thursday, March 2.

Police want to speak to the man and appealed for anyone who saw the attack to come forward.

Just a few miles away another dangerous dog attack took place (WALES NEWS SERVICE)

A Gwent Police spokesman said: "We are appealing for witnesses following a report of a dog attack in the car park of Asda, Pontygwindy Road, Caerphilly. Officers would like to speak to this man, who they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries.

"While walking their dog on a lead the owner was approached by an off-lead dog, described as a Mastiff cross Great Dane, which has bitten their dog causing serious injury.

"The dog was taken to the vets for treatment and is now recovering at home. If you have any information that could help our investigation, please call 101, or DM us on Facebook or Twitter, quoting reference: 2300071546."

The coffin of Jack Lis at his funeral on November 25, 2021 (PA)

Shirley's heartbroken daughter Gail Jones said she believes "something needs to be changed in the law" with "aggressive" dogs and has called for them to be muzzled when outdoors and around vulnerable people.

Admitting she is "numb" following her mother's death, she told WalesOnline: "Emotionally, I've cried at silly little things, like music that reminds me of Mam, or something like that, but I don't think it's actually hit me properly yet."

She added: "All I know is that something needs to be changed in the law with these dogs. Pitbulls are banned in this country and these American Bullies actually have Pitbull in them - they're bred that way, so they've got the same temperament as a Pitbull.

"I think these type of dogs should be just used for the use that they're bred for - maybe guard dogs or something.

"And I'm not saying it's just [American Bullies], I think maybe any dogs which are bred for fighting should be either banned in Britain, or outside or anywhere, even in a house, where there are children, they should be muzzled."

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