By Frances Howe
South Sydney star Jai Arrow is being sued by a 76-year-old man who claims an attack by Arrow’s dog left him with lasting injuries and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
John Gowans claims Arrow’s American Staffordshire terrier, named Thor, attacked him and his pet greyhound, Ruby, in July 2022 while he was walking her 100 metres from his home in Bateau Bay. Ruby had to be euthanised as a result of her injuries, while Gowans was hospitalised with fractures to his arm and bites on both legs, according to the claim. Arrow wasn’t present at the time of the attack as he was in Sydney to play a State of Origin match for Queensland.
The personal injury suit was filed in the NSW District Court on July 10, 2025 – three days before the three-year deadline to bring a personal injury claim expired. The filing argues that Arrow is liable for the injuries to Gowans and his dog as he was Thor’s owner.
“I just want retribution”, Gowans said. “I still get a bit upset about the whole thing. I have PTSD over it, I’ve seen psychologists.”
Jai Arrow with Thor in March, 2022.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Gowans has moved from his home in Bateau Bay and adopted another rescue greyhound, but said he has a lasting phobia of some dog breeds.
“I’ve moved away from the house where I was. Now I’m in a retirement village and I can now, only now, walk my dog. I could not walk my dog back at the old house … I just couldn’t do it. I was nervous. Every time I saw a dog, I’d start to shake.”
A year before the attack in Bateau Bay, Thor had been declared a dangerous dog by Waverley Council after ripping the skin off a miniature schnauzer called Millie on Bronte Beach. At the time, Arrow apologised to Millie’s owner and offered to pay the full vet fees of $10,000.
After that incident, Arrow was required to ensure Thor wore a distinctive collar of red and yellow stripes and a muzzle when walked, and ensure he was kept in an enclosure from which he couldn’t escape. Gowans’ lawyers will argue that had Arrow followed these requirements, the attack on him and his dog would never have happened.
Thor was euthanised after the incident with Gowans. At the time, Arrow told Channel 9 he was not informed Thor was to be put down and was only told by Central Coast Council after it had happened.
“I think it’s an absolute disgrace that they couldn’t even notify me and at least give me the decency to go and say goodbye to him,” he said.
‘When you have a dog die underneath your feet and its throat ripped out, it does something to you.’
John Gowans
Gowans is being represented by John Stafford, who offers a service he calls “dog law”. He describes the work as “common legal issues that come with being a dog owner”. Stafford said he hoped to get a resolution for Gowans, who “feels quite strongly about it because dog attacks are horrible”.
Included in the statement of claim were Gowans’ intrusive memories of the attack, severe pain from his physical injuries and the inability to engage in regular personal or household activities, including being able to play bowls because of a lasting injury to his left wrist.
Arrow is being represented by McGirr & Associates, who provided a statement which read: “Jai Arrow at this stage is going to defend the matters. There will be further particulars and exploration of [Gowans’] physical and mental injury and the causation of such, bearing in mind that the alleged victim has been allegedly attacked by other dogs in the past”.
Gowans said he had been attacked by two dogs between 12 and 18 months before the incident in Bateau Bay but said those incidents weren’t as severe.
“When you have a dog die underneath your feet and its throat ripped out, it does something to you,” he said.
Arrow made his debut for the Rabbitohs in 2021 after three years at the Gold Coast Titans. He made 24 appearances for South Sydney in the 2025 season, scoring two tries. Last month, he won the Rabbitohs’ best and fairest and “Souths Cares” awards.
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