Norwich dog attacked twice in Bowthorpe park by rottweiler

Paul Bolingbroke lives in Bowthorpe and was walking his 14-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, Buddy, when the attack happened last Friday (September 22) at a park opposite Cutler Way.

The 46-year-old said: “It was just a quick walk before tea, about 6.30pm.

Buddy is a 14-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Image: Paul Bolingbroke)

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“I walked him around the park for a bit off the lead.

“I noticed the other dog and owner come into the park in front of us, so I got Buddy back on his lead and we carried on walking along the pathway, through the park.

“The rottweiler was getting restless and before I knew it, it broke off its harness and went straight for Buddy.

The attack left Buddy with around 10 wounds in total (Image: Paul Bolingbroke)

“I grabbed Buddy while trying to get the other dog off and shouting at the owner to get him off.”

After separating the two dogs, Mr Bolingbroke was about to leave the park when the rottweiler attacked again.

He added: “The dog ran back and was biting Buddy, not letting go.

Mr Bolingbroke was worried Buddy would die after the attack from a Rottweiler (Image: Paul Bolingbroke)

“I continued to shout at the owner to get his dog off, otherwise Buddy was going to die right there.

“The owner was clearly tired as he was slow getting over but I was shouting if he wanted my dog to die.”

After taking him to the vets, shelling out around £400 for medication and injections, Buddy is slowly on the mend.

The attack happened in a park, off Cutler Way, in Bowthorpe (Image: Google Maps)

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Mr Bolingbroke added: “He’s got a nasty cut behind his ear and a bad wound just behind his left shoulder blade.

“In total he’s got about 10 wounds over his body.

“It’s frustrating because owners should be able to protect other dogs by taking care of their own.”

Mr Bolingbroke says Buddy is slowly recovering from his wounds (Image: Paul Bolingbroke)

Public control of dogs

Government guidance states it is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, including in a public place, a private place such as a neighbour’s house or garden or in the owner’s home.

A dog is considered dangerously out of control if it injures someone or makes someone worried that it might injure them.

A court could also decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if it attacks someone’s animal or if the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop a dog attacking their animal.

Penalties include an unlimited fine or being sent to prison for up to six months, or both, as well as being banned from owning a dog and their dog being destroyed.

If someone is injured a prison sentence of up to five years is possible and if someone is killed sentences can stretch to 14 years.

Mr Bolingbroke had to pay around £400 in vet bills for medication and injections (Image: Paul Bolingbroke)