Latest news with #bullybreed
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Dog-minder has ear ripped off by XL Bully after it attacked him while he slept
A dog-minder had his ear ripped off by an XL bully after it attacked him while he slept. Darren Shuttleworth-Long, 52, from Swindon was sleeping peacefully next to the banned breed on his sofa on April, 26, but was woken up after it started biting him. The dog-sitter was caring for the dog for someone else and described the animal crashing in to him several times and snapping and snarling before biting his face. He will now require plastic surgery to reconstruct his ear and confessed he struggles to leave the house and even hearing a dog bark sends shivers down his spine. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control Mr Shuttleworth-Long admitted the attack left him in shock after he initially found the dog's jaw had locked while it was nestled in to his armpit but as he tried to move it, the dog broke free and started to attack him. The church volunteer managed to move it off him but the dog continued to attack him in a ten-minute long fight that also saw half his nose ripped off. The 52-year-old was finally able to get away and was taken to Bristol's Southmead Hospital. He spent three days in intensive care and was told he would need plastic surgery to reconstruct his ear reconstructed. Mr Shuttleworth-Long, a volunteer at his local church said: 'I went to sleep and had the dog asleep next to me. 'I woke up and it had latched on the side of me. I managed to move it off. 'It attacked me again and hit me on the side. 'I crashed against the bedroom door and locked myself in with the dog. He was having a go on my right ear. He bit my ear off. 'He hit me about eight to ten times - I thought "I'm in serious trouble".' Mr Shuttleworth-Long says the attack was unprompted and lasted for around ten minutes before he was able to get away from the dog. He said: 'My whole right side of my face was numb. 'There was blood everywhere. It was pouring out of me. It was like a horror movie. 'My whole face was covered in blood. Half my nose was hanging off.' The dog-sitter was taken to hospital and had what was left of his ear stitched up. He said: 'The tissue had to come off - there was nothing to attach it to.' Mr Shuttleworth-Long has been recovering since and struggles to go out. He said: 'I can't go anywhere near big dogs now. 'It's a long-lasting stress that will be there for the rest of my life now.' He is waiting for the soft tissue on his ear to harden before he can then have an appointment with a plastic surgeon to look at reconstruction. He added: 'Dogs barking sends cold chills through me.' Wiltshire police confirmed a 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. She has been released on bail pending further enquiries. Since February 1, 2024, owning the XL Bully breed has become a criminal offence in England and Wales unless owners have an exemption certificate and anyone who owns one of the dogs needs to have the animal neutered and microchipped.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- The Sun
Three girls, 4, 8 & 11, mauled by ‘monster' 7st XL Bully in horror attack at home – as mum, 42, is spared jail
A "MONSTER" seven-and-a-half stone XL Bully mauled three young girls, dragging one across the floor. Mum Victoria Hewitt was at home with her two children, aged eight and four, as well as an 11-year-old friend of the kids when family pet Karma suddenly flipped. A knock at the door resulted in the dog acting in a "very aggressive and violent way" and "went" for the eight-year-old, a court heard. During the incident in Costessey, Norfolk, Hewitt, 42, tried to distract the animal with some ham but it didn't work, prosecutor Chris Youell said. Instead, Karma began attacking the child as the other two screamed, before it targeted them too. The girls ran for the door and were all bitten before Hewitt managed to wrestle the dog away. The eight-year-old managed to flee upstairs with her toddler brother, aged two, who was in his cot during the attack on March 7 last year. A neighbour helped Hewitt restrain Karma and held her on the floor, telling everyone to get out. When cops arrived on the scene, the mum screamed at them to "shoot the dog". Mr Youell described how Karma was sedated by officers before being destroyed. The three girls suffered bite and puncture wounds which needed medical treatment. The eight-year-old had "significant" injuries, including a deep wound down to the bone on her arm, the court heard. The dog had previously belonged to an ex partner of Hewitt's who had left it with her. The court was told the mum had taken precautions, including installing a pen and stairgates. Hewitt appeared in court yesterday having admitted a charge of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. Rob Pollington, defending, said his client was "extremely remorseful for what has occurred". Judge Anthony Bate said the precautions taken were "well intended" but ultimately "inadequate". He sentenced Hewitt to an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
