Dog owners' call for action after pets bitten on beach

Dog walkers have condemned '˜careless' owners after their pets were attacked by other dogs on Littlehampton beach.
ks16000572-4 LG Dog Attack phot kate

Gary Manchester with his dog, now recovering from his attack.ks16000572-4 SUS-160418-212508008ks16000572-4 LG Dog Attack phot kate

Gary Manchester with his dog, now recovering from his attack.ks16000572-4 SUS-160418-212508008
ks16000572-4 LG Dog Attack phot kate Gary Manchester with his dog, now recovering from his attack.ks16000572-4 SUS-160418-212508008

A cocker spaniel ‘Bosun’ needed 24 stitches to his ear after he was bitten by two larger dogs loose on the seafront on Sunday, April 10.

The wound left the show breed dog bleeding profusely, but his owner said the other dog walkers who owned the attacking dogs did nothing to call them off.

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Owner Gary Manchester said: “I was just walking him right along the beach, he was walking along and then these two dogs come howling down the beach straight into him.

“He backed off into the sea, they followed him into the water and started beating him up. I ran into the water to get him. The other owners just stood there watching.”

“It wasn’t until I got him out of the water I noticed he was going completely red. He was bleeding a lot, so my main concern was to get him in the car and to a vet.”

He added that when confronted, the other owners said their dogs had never done that sort of thing before. Gary will continue to walk Bosun on the beach, but he said he would have to keep more of an eye on him in future.

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He said: “I just think dog owners need to know that there are people walking their dogs that are obviously very irresponsible.”

Colleague Susan West said her golden retriever puppy has been the victim of a similar attack.

She said: “We both love walking on the beach and open grass fields in Littlehampton, but I am now very concerned about the growing problems with vicious dogs that are allowed by their owners to run free without muzzles. What if a small child is attacked? From what I have experienced with my dog on the beach, I fear this could happen.

“This growing problem with dangerous dogs and careless owners should be dealt with and the police or wardens brought in to frequently patrol the beach areas.”

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