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Attack pit bull killed in street
From the archive, first published Thursday 29th Dec 2005.
A DOG was destroyed in front of a crowd of onlookers after it savaged its owner in the street.
Officers handcuffed the pit bull's front paws together to stop it attacking the crowd as the owner battled to keep it under control.
Onlookers described how the owner was set upon by the dog when he tried to stop it attacking another dog.
Within seconds the dog, which was foaming at the mouth, turned on its owner.
He then sat on the animal, stopping it escaping, while a neighbour in Hudson Street, Accrington, called the police, around 9pm on Tuesday.
Officers handcuffed the dog's front legs, put a blanket over it and called for an emergency vet. Police said the dog was then destroyed with the owner's permission.
A 27-year-old resident, who asked not to be named, said: "The owner was on the floor screaming for ages and I heard someone shout that the dog was biting his leg.
"I had seen a couple with two large white dogs, pit bulls I think, and suddenly one of the dogs started fighting with another dog.
"The owner tried to intervene and it just turned on him.
"He was on the floor with the dog for about 20 minutes."
Insp Steve Haworth, of Blackburn police, said: "The pit bull must have been very ill because it was foaming at the mouth and snapping at the owner.
"All he could do was lie on it, to try and stop it attacking people. When we arrived officers had to handcuff its front feet together. It was a powerful and very sturdy dog and it was decided to put it down with the permission of the owner.
"Pit bulls are particularly vicious when they go out of control, but it is tragic when they have to be put down.
"There was a crowd of about 20 people watching. If it had broken free, it could have hurt more people."
The owner suffered cuts and bruises in the incident but did not have hospital treatment.
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