In an alarming incident of an XL Bully attack, a pair of the dogs brutally attacked an elderly woman and killed her beloved Mini Schnauzer in South Normanton on Sunday, Feb. 4. The shocking incident, which saw the woman dragged along the floor and her pet mauled, occurred less than half a kilometer away from a school.
Mini Schnauzer killed and elderly woman injured in dog attack
Freda Jones was out on a routine walk with her family dog, Guinness, when the attack took place. As Jones’ grandson Bradley Ward recalled, his grandmother first heard loud barking coming from a nearby property before two suspected XL Bully dogs charged through a fence toward her. The dogs, known for their intimidating size and strength, attacked both Jones and Guinness, dragging the 77-year-old woman along the floor and causing a severe bloody wound on her wrist.
Jones was “helpless at that moment,” said Ward — as per the Derby Telegraph. He reported how a neighbour, despite being physically strong, struggled to free Jones from the relentless grip of the attacking dogs due to their size. Tragically, 2-year-old Guinness did not survive, succumbing to his puncture wounds after being rushed to the vet.
While refraining from advocating an outright ban on the XL Bully breed, Bradley emphatically emphasizes that owners of the breed should receive adequate training and be capable of handling the animals to prevent such dreadful episodes in the future.
Derbyshire Police have issued a statement noting that investigations are underway. In addition, they have requested any potential witnesses to step forward with relevant information. Notably, this was not an isolated incident of an XL Bully attack in the vicinity. In December last year, a Corgi barely escaped a life-threatening assault by a rampaging XL Bully in Redwood Park, Sinfin.
Since Feb. 1, ownership of an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption has been illegal in the UK, following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call to ban the breed last year.
