Man and dog suffer wounds in '˜dog attack'

A man and his dog suffered wounds in a '˜dog attack' whilst out walking last week.
Mark Friend-James with his pointer, Elsi, last year. Picture: Mark Friend-JamesMark Friend-James with his pointer, Elsi, last year. Picture: Mark Friend-James
Mark Friend-James with his pointer, Elsi, last year. Picture: Mark Friend-James

Mark Friend-James, from Findon Valley, was walking his dog on Cissbury Ring, Worthing, on Friday afternoon (December 2) when his dog was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

Mark’s dog, a pointer, sustained wounds to a leg and required veterinary treatment whilst Mark required nine stitches in his hand as he fought off the dog.

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He said: “We were walking on Cissbury Ring and reached an area of grass where people don’t tend to walk but dogs roam around.

The wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-JamesThe wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-James
The wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-James

“There was a dog running mad through the grass that I spotted. He ran back to his owner and then sprinted towards me and my dog.

“I would say there was about 40-50 yards between me and the dog owner. The dog ran at us like a rugby player charging for a tackle and sunk his teeth into my dogs leg. I reacted by trying to wrestle the dog away and he then bit onto my hand. I tried to push the dog away but he wouldn’t release his teeth until his owner arrived over a minute later.”

Mark’s dog was operated on that afternoon at a cost of £715.

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He added: “I forced the owner of the dog to call the police and to keep his dog on a lead. I could see that the dog still wanted to attack but was now being held back.

The wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-JamesThe wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-James
The wounds sustained by Mark and his dog, Elsi. Picture: Mark Friend-James

“Since the attack, it has made me think that if I struggled to get the dog off then imagine if it had happened to a child. The dog could have killed them.”

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: “Police are investigating an incident near Cissbury Ring, Worthing, on Friday (December 2) at around 3.45pm in which a man suffered a hand wound requiring nine stitches during a dog attack.

“A Staffordshire bull terrier and a pointer, neither of which had been on leads, were involved. The latter sustained wounds to a leg which required veterinary treatment.”

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