A brutal attack on a dog by a pack of lurchers in Derry for the second time in 10 weeks is being investigated by the PSNI and the local council.
Bullet, 13, a black and white Collie mix, is being treated for serious injuries by vets in Limavady after the incident early on Monday morning. Three days on he is unable to walk but his family say he is still trying to get better.
As the dog attack unfolded it was captured on video showing five lurchers, their owner and the injured dog, Bullet, on the grassed area of a residential estate at Moss Park, Shantallow.
Read more: After seven weeks in vet hospital after savage attack Bramble makes it to foster care
In a statement to DogsLive, Bullet’s family, said: “As a family we’re in just disbelief at the moment. We are hoping and praying he makes it out alive. Everyone has been so kind asking about how he is, we appreciate everything everyone is doing for us.
“He’s our family’s heart. We have had him for nearly 13 years and we couldn’t ask for a better dog. He made it through the first night after the attack and although he's in a lot of pain he’s holding in there.
“The vets are doing an amazing job with him and have him on a lot of medication to help with pain. After settling him they'll be taking a good look at his wounds and the vet said as long as Bullet keeps fighting, so will they.”
A funding page has been opened to try to meet some of the costs of Bullet’s treatment.
Monday’s incident was the second of its kind in the area involving the same five lurcher dogs as confirmed by their owner, local man Seamus Baldrick.
On February 22, his lurchers Sasha, 12, Tyson and Patch, 10 months, and Bruno and Storm, both aged three, were caught on video in an incident which left a golden Labrador, later named Bramble, with serious injuries.
Unclaimed by an owner and in need of emergency care, the public donated enough money to have Bramble treated by vets at Drumahoe. After multiple surgeries he is still recovering and living in foster care.
Evidence gathered by the local council on Bramble’s attack is expected to be dealt with soon. A spokesperson for Derry and Strabane District Council, said: “We will make a determination on the most appropriate course of action shortly in line with the Council’s Dog Control Enforcement Policy.”
Mr Baldrick said he “deeply regrets” the latest incident involving his dogs and added that he did everything he could to save Bullet from them and says he offered to pay for vet treatment.
He claimed elderly Bullet started the incident by attacking his oldest dog Sasha. He claimed Bramble had attacked Sasha 10 weeks ago and as a result was set upon by his other lurchers, all of whom were in public together at the time and unmuzzled.
In Monday’s video capture, Mr Baldrick is seen lying on top of Bullet trying to push his dogs away, and later he is seen walking them away from Bullet who was left lying on the grass.
Mr Baldrick, said: “It’s a very difficult situation. I was in bad form and needed to get out for a walk to clear my head. I made a bad decision and took all five of the dogs out together. I should have taken two at a time. I appreciate it looks bad but that dog attacked my bitch and the other dogs reacted. I shouldn’t have taken so many at a time.
“When I heard the commotion, I made the mistake of not closing the gate and I started to run to my old bitch. But the other dogs heard the noise too and they reacted. They're faster than me and got out past me through the gate and reached the dogs before me.
“They did what dogs do, they reacted instinctively and I laid on top of the other dog and did everything to save it."
Mr Baldrick claimed Bullet has a bite history and added: "The owner told me, 'this dog is a nasty dog, it shouldn't have been out'. I accompanied the owner to the vet and offered to pay the bill over time. I intended to do fundraisers.”
However the dog's owner has denied Bullet is aggressive and said: "Bullet wouldn't harm anyone or any animal ever and he has certainly never bitten anyone in the 12, nearly 13 years we have had him. We couldn't ask for a better dog. He is far from a bad dog. He's definitely been a great dog all his life, fights every problem away and is a good, big, strong dog."
To get the latest dog news straight to your inbox, sign up to our free newsletter
Mr Baldrick confirmed that he goes lamping with his lurchers “for sport” where his dogs hunt rabbits which he then feeds to them. He said: “ My dogs have a strong prey drive and I use them for hunting. I lamp at night and I use the dogs. People mightn’t agree with that but I see it as a sport.
"I half cook the rabbits they catch in the oven and then I put them through the mincer. My dogs are better fed than me. It’s sport and I love it."
Asked if he was concerned about the safety of children in the area around his lurchers, he said: “They’ll never be around children. I’m a very responsible person. My dogs are licenced and chipped and are well exercised. I can assure people they will never be on the green or seen in the area again.
"I made a rash decision in the heat of the moment and I let myself down, I let my guard down and I made a bad, bad judgement error. It’s not the dogs’ fault, you can’t blame the dogs and I take responsibility. They were only doing their duty by the old bitch.”
The PSNI have confirmed they are investigating the incident. Sergeant Walsh said: “We received a report on Monday, May 2, about a dog attack in Moss Park in Shantallow.
“Our officers are working with the Council Dog Warden in relation to this incident. We are also aware of video footage circulating on social media.”
“Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote reference number 323 of 02/05/22. "Alternatively, you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org. ”
Derry City and Strabane District Council is investigating this complaint under the powers of their enforcement policy. They have confirmed that the five dogs concerned will now be subject to control conditions and "may be required to be securely fitted with a muzzle sufficient to prevent them biting any person or animal in a public place".
However it is unlikely the dogs will be removed from Mr Baldrick. A spokesperson for the council said: “There is no specific power for the council to seize a dog which has attacked another dog. The Control of Greyhounds Act 1950 states that sight hounds (Greyhound, Whippet, Lurcher cross) must be muzzled when in a public space. No more than two greyhounds can be exercised or walked by any one person.
“DCSDC is currently investigating this attack with respect to offences under Dog Control legislation namely The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 as amended and the Control of Greyhounds Act 1950.
“All evidence including witness statements and video footage will be considered and anyone with information is asked to contact the Councils Dog Control Service on 02871253253 or email dogcontrol@derrystrabane.com.”
Derry and Strabane District Council has received 98 complaints of dog attacks on other dogs in the last three years and currently has two prosecution cases pending.
They confirmed it is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:
- in a public place
- in a private place, for example a neighbour’s house or garden
- in the owner’s home
A dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
- injures someone
- makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:
- it attacks someone’s animal, or
- the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
What is a lurcher?
As a cross breed including a sighthound and usually a Greyhound, lurchers fall under the rules of The Control of Greyhounds, Act (Northern Ireland), 1950.
DogsTrust describes lurchers as a cross between a sighthound breed such as a Greyhound, Saluki and Whippet and a Collie or terrier. Originally bred for hunting and poaching, they share many of the sighthound traits, both in their speed and brains. They can vary more in their looks, particularly as their coats can be long or short-haired, and colouring can differ greatly depending on the mix of breed in each dog.
The Control of Greyhounds, Act (Northern Ireland), 1950 sates:
- Greyhounds should not be in a public place unless controlled and muzzled.
- Restriction on number of greyhounds which may be exercised or led in a public place.
- A person shall not exercise or lead more than two greyhounds in any street, road, highway or other public place, or in any place to which the public have or are permitted to have access
- Any person guilty of an offence under this Act shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £200 or to imprisonment for any period not exceeding three months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
- The owner of any greyhound shall be liable in damages for any injury caused by such greyhound by reason of the contravention this Act, and it shall not be necessary for the person seeking such damages to prove that the owner knew of such previous propensity, or that the injury was attributable to neglect on the part of the owner.
A funding page has been set up to meet some of the veterinary costs for Bullet's treatment and can be access here.
