Dogsey

A Lancashire woman has told how she was punched in the face by a man who showed interest in her husky. Twenty-year-old Amy Leigh from Accrington was walking 11-month old Rayne near the Broadway Pub when the man asked if he could stroke the dog. Describing the incident to a newspaper, Amy said that she had been left with a bloody nose but that Rayne had defended her.

“People always stop to stroke him and this guy asked if he could,” she said. “He bent down and was looking at his collar. I think he was looking for an address on the tag, but I don't have it on there for that very reason.

“I bent down to pull Rayne closer to me with his collar and the man punched me in the face. Rayne grabbed the man by the wrist and dragged him to the ground until I told him to 'leave now' and then the man ran off.”

Amy went on to say that parents should be warned not let children walk dogs on their own because of the risk of incidents such as this.

Although the attacker and his motives are not known, a concern that Rayne might have been targeted for use in dog baiting was the focus of the news report. John Duxworth of Sibes and Sled Dogs Husky Welfare was reported as having raised awareness of huskies used for dog baiting, and as saying: “It is very concerning that there may be dog baiting going on. I think that's what the purpose of pinching the dogs is.

“They are not aggressive dogs, but if they are provoked they can be pretty savage. In a fight where they are tied up they don't stand a chance.”

A similar incident was reported to police in Burnley, after a woman walking her five-month-old Alaskan Malamute was approached by two men who asked about the dog, tried to grab the lead and pushed her to the ground. Despite suffering cuts to her face and hand, she managed to keep hold of the lead.

The welfare officer for Hyndburn Stray Dogs in Need was reported as saying: “It is an underground scene. It wouldn't surprise me if it was going on and the larger breeds were ring used.

“If I find anyone using dogs for this reason I will report them to the police.

“It takes a brave man or a lunatic to take on of these dogs off its owner.”