Hastings dog owner calls for change in law after pet mauled to death

A dog owner intends to launch a campaign to change the law regarding dangerous dogs after his beloved pet was mauled to death.

Ian Mehrtens said he hopes to get the support of Hastings MP, Amber Rudd.

He said: “Last Wednesday (March 27) at around 5.30pm we were walking our two dogs, Brenda and Bella (sisters), home from an afternoon walk to the pier up Old London Road, towards our home in Edmund Road. Both were on a lead, I had Bella and my husband, Clive, had Brenda.

“We got close to the Sacred Heart School entrance when out of nowhere came a white pitbull terrier running loose with no owner. It lunged for Brenda locking is jaws on her stomach.

“What followed is too gruesome to describe but thanks to several people who stopped in cars to help, we managed to get the dog off and secured by a kind lady who have her lead.

“The dog had a barrel tag with a piece of paper inside containing the owner’s address and phone number. One kind man, Chris, put the dog in his van and returned it to the owner, who was unaware that it had escaped.

“We managed to get home and took Brenda to the vets, who treated her bites and we brought her home.”