XL Bully mauls family dog to death in horror street attack
A pet dog has been mauled to death by two unmuzzled XL Bullies while out on a dog walk with her owner, who was left covered in blood as he tried in vain to save his beloved animal.
Lee Bennison, 35, was out walking his two dogs on Friday, June 20, when two large dogs approached him and attacked. A vicious fight left Lee bloodied and his one-year-old Poochon Jackawawa cross, Daisy, dead.
Five-month-old miniature dachshund, Coco, was also injured but mostly unscathed from the attack, which took place outside St Cuthbert's primary school in Darwen, Lancashire.
Owner Lee said Daisy's death has left his 10-year-old daughter Lily heartbroken. He said: 'As soon as I tackled one dog and tried to pull it away, the other dog came around and tackled Daisy.
'I think I dropped her lead to fight the other dog, I was punching the dog, trying to rip its mouth open – I got it open a couple of times but its jaw was too powerful for me to fight her.
'Then we fought from one side of the road to the other side of the road. I waited for quite a while, until the point where someone had got my other dog who was hiding under a car. When I heard the police I passed out because I was out of energy.'
He added: 'Problem is, I have to walk past that place every day. I've gone back and I've scrubbed all the blood but it's still there, I can still see it. I can't sleep, I'm getting like 20 minutes of sleep a day.'
The impact of the attack has been so profound, Lee says, that he even jumped in front of car recently after he heard a dog bark.
Lee's partner, teaching assistant Jade Wilkinson, 31, had just left the school for her lunch break when she came across the devastating aftermath of the attack.
Speaking through tears, Jade said: 'I'd just come out of work and I saw my baby lying on the floor. There was blood everywhere.
"Lee went down a few days after just to try and scrub the blood, because he said 'I can't keep walking past there knowing, because there's just blood everywhere'. It's had a massive, massive effect on Lee.'
Jane said onlookers filmed the attack rather than helping to step in – with armed police arriving minutes later. Now, she wants to see tougher laws brought in to punish those with out of control dogs.
Since February 2024, it has been illegal to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Those with a valid certificate must keep the dogs on a lead and muzzled when out in public, and must not abandon them or let them stray. Jade said the family has now been forced to fork over £500 for Daisy's cremation and £200 following Coco's vet visit.
She added: 'We got attacked in the woods before, me and Daisy. It's just getting beyond a joke, she was such a sweetheart, such a lovely little girl. Now Coco is scared of everything, she's absolutely petrified of loud noises. Luckily she's young enough so we can try and work on that, but it's just not nice.'
A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: 'We received a report of a dog and a man being attacked by two bully-type dogs on Duddon Avenue in Darwen shortly before 12:30pm on June 20th.
'Very sadly, the dog that was attacked died at the scene. The man has suffered minor injuries. Both dogs have been detained and seized by police, and there is no threat to the wider public.
'Enquiries into the incident are ongoing, and anyone with information or footage is asked to get in touch. You can call 101 quoting log 0672 of 20th June.'
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Scottish Sun
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‘XL Bully' that mauled girl, 9, in the FACE is returned to owner as she walks free from jail
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
‘XL Bully' that mauled girl, 9, in the FACE is returned to owner as she walks free from jail
AN XL Bully owner has walked free from court after her dog attacked a child last year. Elizabeth Boot's dog, Rocky, attacked a 9-year-old at an address in Nottingham in January 4, 2024, a court heard. 3 The victim's injuries were so severe that she had to take time off school and is now left with permanent scarring. However, over a year later, Rocky has been returned to his owner. When the young girl was taken to hospital, Boot begged her and her mother not to tell the police about the attack in fears that her dog would be put down, Nottingham Crown Court was told. The 33-year-old from Sneinton then proceeded to give false details about the incident in a bid to protect the dog, while the victim was being treated at the Queens Medical Centre (QMC). Despite the child receiving multiple injuries, including a deep gash under her eye, Boot continued to give a false name and false details. A dog behaviour expert has since analysed Rocky and produced a report concluding it would be safe for him to return home. Handing her a 16-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, Judge Mark Watson said: "This was a frightening and scary incident, it must have been made worse by your response to it. "Rather than show concern for the girl, you were more concerned about Rocky and the impact on you and your family. "It was selfish behaviour and behaviour you should be ashamed of." However, the judge concluded that due to it being a quick bite rather than the dog taking hold of and mauling the child, Rocky did not pose a danger to the public. The case prosecutor, Devni Kitulagoda, said the girl was unsupervised with the dog when it suddenly jumped up and bit her just under her eye. Boot was alerted to what was happening after hearing the child scream. 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Daily Mail
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An XL Bully owner whose dog attacked a child and left her with permanent scarring has walked free from court. The animal, Rocky, set upon the 9-year-old victim at an address in Nottingham in January 2024, a court heard. Despite causing injuries so severe that the child had to take time off school, the dog has now been returned home to its owner, Elizabeth Boot. When the victim was taken to hospital, Boot begged her and her mother not to tell the police what happened 'or it would get put down', Nottingham Crown Court was told. The 33-year-old defendant from Sneinton then gave false details when asked for them while at the hospital. A dog behaviour expert who analysed Rocky produced a report concluding it would be safe to be returned to Boot's address. Handing her a 16-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, Judge Mark Watson said: 'This was a frightening and scary incident, it must have been, and was made worse by your response to it. 'Rather than show concern for the girl, you were more concerned about Rocky and the impact on you and your family. 'It was selfish behaviour and behaviour you should be ashamed of. But it was a quick bite and I am satisfied it was snapping rather than the dog taking hold and mauling. 'And (having heard the expert evidence) I am satisfied that Rocky does not pose a danger to the public. This was not an incident out of the blue without explanation and (concerns) the behaviour of children around dogs.' Devni Kitulagoda, prosecuting, said the incident happened at an address in Nottingham on January 4, 2024. He said the girl was unsupervised with the dog when it suddenly bit her just under her eye. Boot realised what was happening after hearing the child her scream. The prosecutor said: 'The defendant's partner then began shouting that Rocky was going to be put down and begged her and her mother not to say that Rocky had bitten (the girl). 'She received a number of injuries including a deep gash under her eye and attended the QMC where she received stitches. While there, the defendant gave a false name and false details. 'Officers then attained her address on January 8 and while there Rocky had to be held back.' Boot of Furlong Place, later pleaded guilty to being in control of a dog which was dangerously out of control and injured a person. What is the law on XL Bullies? Since February 1, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without a certificate. To qualify for an exemption certificate, owners had to prove their XL bully was neutered by June 30. If the pup was less than a year old by January 31, they must have been neutered by the end of 2024, and evidence must be provided. As well as neutering their animals, XL bully owners seeking an exemption must also pay an application fee, hold active public liability insurance for their pets and ensure the dogs are microchipped. People with dangerously out of control dogs can be jailed for 14 years and banned from owning animals, and their pets can be put down. Lucia Harrington, mitigating, said her client has children aged nine and 11 who both have ADHD and autism. She said: 'I asked her what would happen if she was sent immediately to custody today and she said her children would have to go into care.' As part of the suspended sentence order, the judge ordered the defendant to attend 15 rehabilitation sessions and contribute £1,000 towards the £12,000 kenneling costs which have already been incurred. He also ordered a contingency destruction order meaning Rocky will be destroyed if Boot is unable to keep it under control under the terms of: Pet gates to be fitted at the entrance to her home and her living room entrance. If anyone under the age of 16 visits her home, Rocky needs to be locked in a separate room. Attends sessions with a dog behaviour analyst. The victim's identity is protected by law. It comes after a ban on XL bully dogs ruled lawful by the High Court in December 2024, despite campaigning owners' claims that it was based on 'unreliable material'. Judges said that ministers had 'sufficient evidence of an alarmingly high level of fatal attacks' by the dog breed when launching the crackdown in 2023. XL bully owner Sophie Coulthard and campaign group Don't Ban Me, Licence Me pursued legal action against the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs over the large bulldog-type American breed being added to a banned list under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Since February 2024, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate - meaning unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted. Opponents argued that the ban was unlawful, insisting it was based on 'unreliable' material and also lacked a 'proper' analysis over its impact while including 'vague' standards that risked people unknowingly committing a criminal offence. But in the new judgment at London's High Court, Mrs Justice Lang dismissed most of the legal challenge over the ban. The judge found that issues such as defining the right types of dog and the human impacts of euthanasia had been considered by Defra. She ruled it was 'not necessary' to interrogate 'each reported case of a dog attack or fatality' ahead of the ban nor to delay the crackdown coming into force 'until an official definition of the XL Bully was prepared'. Injuries and deaths after attacks by XL bully-type dogs Jonathan Halstead, 35 Jonathan Halstead, 35 - January 29, 2020 Jonathan died from a severe neck injury and bites after being attacked in his home in Oldham, Greater Manchester by his pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bronson. It is believed the dog attacked him when its owner suffered an epileptic fit. Jack Lis, 10 - November 8, 2021 Schoolboy Jack Lis, ten, suffered catastrophic injuries after being mauled by an American XL bully dog called Beast while visiting a friend's home in Penyrheol in Caerphilly, Wales on November 8, 2021. Neighbours and Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics desperately tried to save him but he died at the scene. Armed police destroyed the dog on site. Adam Watts, 55 - December 22, 2021 Adam Watts, 55, was attacked at the Juniper Kennels and Cattery in Kirkton of Auchterhouse, near Dundee, and was pronounced dead at the scene on December 22, 2021. MARCH 21, 2022: Undated family handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of Bella-Rae Birch Bella-Rae Birch, 17 months - March 21, 2022 Toddler Bella-Rae Birch was attacked by her family's pet American bully XL dog when she was just 17 months old. The vicious dog snatched the child out of her mother's arms while they were at their home in Blackbrook, St Helens, Merseyside, on March 21 last year. Keven Jones, 62 - May 28, 2022 Keven Jones died after he was attacked by an American Bully XL dog in Wrexham, Wales on May 28 last year. Ambulance workers attempted to save him but they were unable to stop his left leg bleeding. Mr Jones was then pronounced dead at his son's house following the attack. Joanne Robinson, 43 Joanne Robinson, 43 - July 15, 2022 Mother-of-two Joanne Robinson, 43, was killed by her American bully XL dog, Rocco, after it 'turned mad in the extreme heat' in July last year. She died at the scene of the attack at home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire while her partner, Jamie Stead, was left with injuries to his hands, stomach and face as he tried to pull the animal off her. Joanne's mother Dot, of Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, revealed at the time that Rocco had previously fought with their other dog Lola - and she had warned her daughter to 'get rid of one of them'. Ian Symes, 34 - August 2022 Ian 'Wiggy' Symes, 34, who is understood to have been walking a bully XL dog himself at a recreation ground in Fareham, Hampshire, died at the scene following a horrific dog attack in August 2022. His devastated family said he was 'doing something he loved' when he died in the field in Fareham, Hampshire. Ann Dunn, 65 Ann Dunn, 65 - October 3, 2022 Ann Dunn, 65, was found collapsed with 'catastrophic injuries' at her Liverpool home she shared with seven dogs on October 3 last year. She was mauled to death by dogs including an American bully XL - and had been sent to hospital a year before her death because she had been bitten by a dog. Shirley Patrick, 83 - December 3, 2022 Widowed grandmother Shirley Patrick, 83, died after being viciously mauled by an XL bully in her own home. The retired nurse died in hospital 17 days after suffering 'life-threatening injuries' during the 'hellish' and 'violent' dog attack in Caerphilly, South Wales on December 3 last year. Jonathan Hogg, 37 - May 18, 2023 Jonathan Hogg, 37, was mauled to death by an American XL bully dog when it turned on him while he was looking after it for a friend. He entered the pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head, an inquest heard. He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries after the mauling in Leigh, Greater Manchester, on May 18 this year. Ian Price, 52 - September 14, 2023 On Thursday, September 14, 'pillar of the community' Ian Price, 52, was attacked and killed by two 'devil' XL bully dogs after they jumped out of his neighbour's window in Stonnall, Staffordshire. Mr Price was attacked and killed by the two dogs which jumped out of a neighbour's window yards from a primary school. He reportedly died defending his elderly mother from the animals. The dogs bit him and ripped the clothes from his body leaving him dying in a pool of blood in his boxer shorts in the horror attack just feet from his home. Ian Langley, 54 - October 3, 2023 Ian Langley, 54, was set upon on the estate in Sunderland on October 3 this year by an enormous XL bully dog which grabbed him by the neck as he bent down to pick up his Patterdale terrier pup. The attack left Mr Langley needing CPR for around 15 minutes as emergency services fought to stop heavy bleeding from his wounds. He died from his injuries.
