‘It came from nowhere’: Owner speaks on dog mauled to death

A local dog owner, whose dog was mauled to death while out walking in Merewether, is urging others to ensure their animals are kept on a lead in public places.

Alfie was mauled to death at Dixon Park on Saturday September 7.

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Dog owner Louise Slavin is pleading with other dog owners to make sure their animals are on a lead out in public, after her little dog Alfie was mauled to death just weeks ago.

It was an early Saturday morning on September 7, when her partner was walking their two dogs, Alfie and Barney, at Dixon Park, Merewether.

There were a few other dogs and their owners out and about, but generally it wasn’t very busy.

Alfie was walking along near the mural sniffing around, when suddenly he was charged at by another dog, which ran from behind and grabbed him around the neck.

“It wasn’t a sniff, he just charged. It came from nowhere and it was in for the kill,” Ms Slavin said.

“It should have never been off the lead.

Alfie was mauled to death at Dixon Park on Saturday September 7

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“My partner had puncture wounds on his hands as he was trying to get the dog off, wrestling the dog and he had blood all over him.

“It went on for about three and a half minutes, a guy helped him and eventually who we thought was owner of dog was lifting the dog up by the tail and putting its finger in it’s bottom and had his hands trying to claw open its jaw.”

Ms Slavin said the attack, believed to be from an American Staffordshire, was so ferocious Alfie couldn’t recover from his injuries.

“My partner called me and said Alfie had been attacked and didn’t think he would survive, and he didn’t. The lungs had collapsed and he probably had a pulmonary haemorrhage,” she said.

Dixon Park, Merewether, near where the dog attack occurred on Alfie. The dog died after significant injuries.

It’s just one of many attacks that have been reported right across Newcastle including at Hamilton, Mayfield, at the Stockton breakwall and Lambton.

Newcastle animal activist Jayne, who is also a victim of a dog attack when her two dogs were mauled in Mayfield West, has posted a warning on social media to all dog owners about being responsible in off leash areas.

She has been overwhelmed by the amount of replies received about recent dog attacks.

“Most recent I was told about a ladies dog attacked walking along a footpath in Hamilton early September, she did record to council but hasn’t got a reply,” she said.

“Another lady was telling me she was in the local playground at Mayfield with her baby and her toddler, the toddler was on the play equipment and she had the baby in pram, and she had a jack russell on a leash.

“She was rushed at by two dogs they came out from nowhere so she had to pick the jack russell up but it was very scary for her.

Alfie (left) and Barney. Alfie died from his injuries after he was mauled by a dog at Dixon Park in Merewether recently.

“There’s a lot happening over Stockton breakwall with unleashed dogs.

“It’s irresponsible dog owners, that’s the issue. People have these dogs and they’re not socialised, they’re taking them to dog parks and off-leash beaches and letting them run a muck.”

She said there are leash laws in place for a reason and it’s not acceptable to allow unleashed dogs in public areas who put others animals and people at threat.

“We’ve got designated areas to have dogs off leashes but they’re just not using them,” Jayne said.

“They should know they can be sued for damages, future vet bills if something happens.

“I think the council needs to reinforce this message to the public because I can see more attacks happening, it’s awful.”

Ms Slavin added that after years and years of walking their dogs at the parks, she’s now afraid to walk her dogs because of another attack.

“A lot of people who don’t understand their dogs behaviour and some people sit and chat and aren’t on to it,” she said.

Jayne and her two dogs at Speers Point Park last year. She's calling for dog owners to be more responsible.

“In general people are pretty good and are responsible but some dogs are like loaded guns and the owners don’t know how to read their behaviour.

“As for the leash free areas, they’re just unsafe and I would never take a dog to one now after this experience.”

Newcastle City Council started investigating the attack at Dixon Park shortly after it occurred, which has included door knocking and witness statements. So far it is ongoing.

In 2016, Newcastle had over 31 thousand households with more than 44 thousand registered dogs. It represents 51.2 per cent of households and 28.5 dogs per 100 people.

Council ranges have a number of strategies to help dog owners be responsible for their animals and urge all dog owners to ensure their dog is on a leash in public unless at unleashed areas.

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