A woman whose dog was attacked last year while out for a walk, claims a fellow dog owner threatened to rip her head off after she asked him to put his pets on a lead.
Donna Hewitt says she is now too scared to walk her own pet in York after she was verbally attacked and spat at by a man who was walking two dogs with his daughter.
The 54-year-old has said she won't walk her dog, Holly, around the Railway Pond in the city anymore.
Last year, Holly was attacked by another dog that was off its lead, leaving her needing eight staples in her throat.
She had a bruised throat down to her chest and had to have an overnight stay in the vet's.
Donna said that as Holly is a very small do, they now pick her up when they see other dogs approaching as a result of the attack.
Donna said: "We had taken her to railway pond which is lovely but there are signs saying dogs need to be on a lead. We feel quite safe usually walking around there because of that reason. Part way round the pond a boxer came running at us, the boxer was off its lead.
"Both dogs came up to me trying to sniff our dog but it was quite intimidating because the couple who were walking them said 'oh you have already had breakfast, don't be greedy.'
"They were funny and laughed about it. All we said back was we wouldn't need to pick her up if your dogs were on the lead. The man said 'I can do what I want with my dogs, I can have them off lead the lead or I can put them on the lead when I want'.
"But we said they have to be on lead wherever they are in this area. His daughter who was with him jumped in front when he threatened to rip my head off. It was disgusting.
"It was hard to process the fact he spat at me but then he threatened to rip my head off and his daughter was like dad leave it and pushing him away, it was disgusting. We had to phone police.
"We are not going back there to walk her, we will walk Holly in a totally different direction, no way would we go back there.
"My husband had a stroke in July too and is walking with a stick - so I don't know which one of us he was going to 'rip the head off'.
"When he threatened us there were no consideration whatsoever."
