Pet Dog Dies After Being Attacked In Southfield Park

Dog responsible had recently come from Croatia as a rescue

A dog has died and his owner required medical treatment following an incident on Southfield Park in which the pet was attacked by another dog. The incident took place at 2:50pm on Thursday (11 April).

Image of the attacking dog and owner issued by the family of the pet which died

Police investigating the matter have seized the attacking dog, a rescue dog who had come from Croatia only five days prior to the attack, and they have also identified the dog's owner. The Met's Dog Unit are dealing with the case.

PC Stuart Honey, a local police officer, outlined what happened, “As many of you might have heard there was a particularly unpleasant incident on Southfield Recreation Ground on Thursday. Unfortunately a dog was attacked by another and killed. The owner of the dog that was attacked attempted to intervene but was bitten on the hand requiring medical treatment.

"The whole incident was witnessed and the owner of the dog which did the attacking has been identified. The Met’s Dog Unit are dealing with the case and the dog has been seized.

"The whole incident is especially sad. The offending dog is a Rescue Dog which was brought to this country from Croatia only five weeks ago for a better life.

"The purpose of this post is to remind everyone that it is imperative to keep your dog under control at all times. Unless you are absolutely sure that your dog will respond correctly to your commands it should be kept on a lead at all times. In some cases it should also wear a muzzle.
Dog ownership is a serious responsibility. For you and your dog to enjoy a fulfilling relationship it must be trained properly.

"This is especially true if you take on a Rescue Dog. You will not be aware of the dogs initial history and his/her reactions to specific stimuli. You must give the dog sufficient time to acclimatise and adjust to his/her new surroundings.

"Our thoughts go out to the owner of the deceased dog who has had to endure the attack and the death of her pet."

April 12, 2019