• Home
  • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • EXERCISES
    • PETS
  • CBD
  • PRODUCTS
  • TRENDING
  • PET NEWS
  • PET TRAVEL
  • Advertise Here
No Result
View All Result
Plugin Install : Cart Icon need WooCommerce plugin to be installed.
  • Home
  • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • EXERCISES
    • PETS
  • CBD
  • PRODUCTS
  • TRENDING
  • PET NEWS
  • PET TRAVEL
  • Advertise Here
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home PETS

Horrifying moment child’s therapy dog is mauled to death by ‘pocket bully’ in brutal street attack

Doggone Well Staff by Doggone Well Staff
May 8, 2025
in PETS
39 0
0
Horrifying moment child’s therapy dog is mauled to death by ‘pocket bully’ in brutal street attack
32
SHARES
356
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Dog Food topper - Getquelle365


When Karen Hawthornthwaite left home with Benji, a Lhasa Apso who had provided invaluable comfort to her autistic son during the Covid lockdown, she could not have known it would be her last walk with the beloved family pet.

The 54-year-old teaching assistant was just yards from her home in the Lancashire market town of Darwen when a pocket-size American bully dog came bounding across the road and began mauling her dog.

A desperate struggle ensued as the pocket bully's owner, who had been walking the dog with neither a muzzle nor a lead, attempted in vain to pull the animal away.

Helped by passers-by, Hawthornwaite battled to extract Benji's leg from the dog's jaws in scenes that were captured on CCTV.

The two bloody and interminably long minutes that followed were, she said, like a scene from a horror movie.

Dog Food topper - Getquelle365

‘I was coming down the street and I'd seen this guy with this pocket bully breed off the lead,' said Hawthornwaite. ‘It ran straight across the main road.

‘The owner had no control over it whatsoever. I said to myself, “That dog is going to get run over.” I didn't think any more of it.'

But worse was to follow for Benji, who had become part of the family in the five years since Hawthornwaite bought him to help ease the anxiety of her son Riley during the global pandemic. 

Benji, a Lhasa Apso who acted as a therapy dog for 16-year-old Riley Hawthornwaite, left, is seen with the teenager and his 19-year-old sister Caitlin before he was fatally attacked

Pursued by its owner, an unmuzzled and unleashed pocket-size American bully dog is seen bounding across the road before mauling Benji in a brutal two-minute attack

Pursued by its owner, an unmuzzled and unleashed pocket-size American bully dog is seen bounding across the road before mauling Benji in a brutal two-minute attack

Benji is seen at the vets' surgery following the attack last month, which left the seven-year-old dog with a feeding tube after he refused to eat

Benji is seen at the vets' surgery following the attack last month, which left the seven-year-old dog with a feeding tube after he refused to eat

‘When the attack first happened, the owner was telling me to pull Benji away, even though the dog had my boy's leg in his mouth,' said Hawthornwaite.

‘I thought, “If I do this, I'm going to pull his leg off.” 

‘The owner was thumping the dog with his fists. The woman across the road was thumping the dog too, screaming at [it] to let go. 

‘I can't stop thinking of Benji's face when it was happening. The owner gave an almighty pull and it eventually loosened; I've no idea how, everything's a bit of a blur.

‘It took the efforts of multiple neighbours for the dog to let go. It was like a horror movie. This dog had blood all over its face, and so did Benji.

‘I couldn't go inside because my son has autism and suffers from anxiety so I didn't want him to see all the blood.

‘The owner took the dog away. Benji was shaking like mad.'

The owner of the pocket bulldog later signed an acceptable behaviour contract specifying that the animal should be kept on a lead at all times in residential areas.

The incident left Benji, pictured while still alive, with a 3cm deep incision in his front leg, which had to be amputated. However, an infection developed and he had to be put down a week later

The incident left Benji, pictured while still alive, with a 3cm deep incision in his front leg, which had to be amputated. However, an infection developed and he had to be put down a week later 

With its face bloodied, the pocket bully is held by its owner in the aftermath of the attack

With its face bloodied, the pocket bully is held by its owner in the aftermath of the attack

But with Benji dead and her son inconsolable, Hawthornwaite believes the dog poses a risk to public safety and should be put down. 

‘My son is autistic and when Covid hit he wouldn't leave the house at all,' she said.

‘He suffers from autism and anxiety, and we bought Benji to try and help him get out of the house, but unfortunately this didn't work.

‘My son is absolutely heartbroken and he wants this other dog dead now. This dog needs to be put down. For everybody's safety, it needs to be put down.

‘I don't know where this dog is now, and I'm petrified of it doing it again. I certainly don't want anybody to go through what I am going through.

‘All dogs should be on leads, especially if they are on main roads. It's horrendous, knowing what dog it was – and the fact it was unmuzzled is just not right.

‘Next time with this dog, it could be a child, it could be anybody.'

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: ‘Having thoroughly reviewed all the circumstances and sought expert advice, it was deemed that this incident did not meet the criteria of any offences under the Dangerous Dog Act.

‘However, in order to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening again, the owner of the pocket bulldog was given an acceptable behaviour contract under the ASB, Crime and Policing Act, 2014 with specific conditions which include ensuring their dog is on a lead at all times in residential areas.'



Source link

Dog Food topper - Getquelle365
Tags: AttackbrutalBullyChildsDeathdoghorrifyingmauledmomentpocketStreetTherapy
Tweet8Share13Share3Share
Previous Post

Can my neighbor attach piece to my fence to hold noisy dogs? – Sun Sentinel

Next Post

Pit mix ‘Queen’ seeks loving home at Craven Pamlico Animal Services Center

Doggone Well Staff

Doggone Well Staff

Next Post
Pit mix ‘Queen’ seeks loving home at Craven Pamlico Animal Services Center

Pit mix 'Queen' seeks loving home at Craven Pamlico Animal Services Center

Youtube Channel

Currently Playing

Jealous Dog Want Attention Compilation NEW

Jealous Dog Want Attention Compilation NEW

00:06:28

Best Of Funny Guilty Dog Compilation 2014

00:05:32

Best Dog Birthday Surprise: DIY Ball Pit for Maymo

00:01:39

How a little microchip changed this dog's life!!! Please share this important video. #dog

00:05:48

Follow Our Page

Popular Post

    Follow Us

    Category

    • CBD
    • EXERCISES
    • Home
    • NEW POSTS
    • PET NEWS
    • PET TRAVEL
    • PETS
    • PRODUCTS
    • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • TRENDING

    Tag Cloud

    Adoption Animal Animals Attack breeds Care Cat Cats County Day Death dog Dog as Pet Dog Owner dogs Family Fire food health Home house Humane Life Local Love Man Meet news Owners Park people Pets Police Puppy Rescue Safe Shelter Society Stray Tips Top Vet Ways Week Woman

    Recent News

    Essex Council protects privacy of radio club paedophile

    Essex Council protects privacy of radio club paedophile

    July 4, 2025
    Dogs Trust Evesham: 5 dogs are looking for forever homes

    Dogs Trust Evesham: 5 dogs are looking for forever homes

    July 4, 2025
    • DMCA
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Privacy Policy

    © 2022 Doggone Well - doggone well.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
      • EXERCISES
      • PETS
    • CBD
    • PRODUCTS
    • TRENDING
    • PET NEWS
    • PET TRAVEL
    • Advertise Here

    © 2022 Doggone Well - doggone well.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In