Mum scared as she, bub followed by ‘giant’ staffies

A young mum out for an afternoon stroll in Fawkner with her baby has called for dog owners to be more responsible after two “massive” staffies started following her — while the owner watched from their front porch.

Noni McNamara and her daughter Atlas were followed by two large dogs when they went for an afternoon stroll. Picture: Hamish Blair

A young mother and her four-month-year-old daughter have vowed to never return to a street in Fawkner after been followed by two large Staffordshire bull terriers.

Noni McNamara, 25, was walking down McDougall St past Basil St on November 6 just after 4pm when the two dogs came out of nowhere and approached her baby in her pram.

“I heard these little footsteps behind me and I turned around and there were these two giant, massive staffies,” she said.

“They just kept following us, they were very persistent and very interested in my baby in the pram.”

The mother says they will never walk down the street again. Picture: Hamish Blair

The mother said she was “very worried” about her baby and didn’t know what she would have done if she had have needed to protect her.

“I can’t take on two massive dogs and try to keep her safe as well,” Ms McNamara said.

“I didn’t try to yell at them or anything because that can alert them more, so I kept walking, I didn’t want to run either.”

She said the owner sat on their porch and waved, but made no efforts to call the dogs back.

“It’s just irresponsible dog ownership, your dog shouldn’t be outside of the gate roaming the street,” Ms McNamara said.

Ms McNamara said while neither dog was aggressive she felt she shouldn’t have been put in the position in the first place.

“I don’t understand why people don’t put their dogs on leads, they might be harmless but stuff happens,” she said.

“They can look so friendly and happy then all of a sudden lunge at the last minute.”

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The two dogs came within a metre of the pair and followed them for about 200m.

“It felt like a lifetime,” she said.

The mother said her daughter could sense something was wrong.

“She could tell that I was quite uncomfortable so she didn’t make any noise and that was probably for the best,” Ms McNamara said.

Moreland Council did not receive a report about the incident.