Park attack on family pet

Schoolboy Dylan Allenby had taken 13-week-old Alfie on one of his first trips to Earlsheaton Park when a dog let off its lead pounced.

The brave eight-year-old pushed the other dog away and raced home with his pet, but not before Alfie’s ear was mauled.

Labrador Alfie could need an operation after the attack on Sunday morning.

Mum Gemma Hollis, of Syke Avenue, said: “We’re concerned because it could have hurt one of the children.

“It only happened at the end of our road. I just want people with little puppies or children to be careful in case the same dog goes for them.”

Dylan, a Bywell Junior School pupil, said he was walking out of the park when a man let the dog off its lead.

“It came and attacked Alfie,” he said. “He dug his teeth into Alfie’s ear.

“I gave him a tap with my shoe, grabbed Alfie’s lead and ran home.”

Miss Hollis, 27, said: “We’ve only had Alfie for three weeks and that was the first time we could take him out for walks because of getting his vaccinations.

“Dylan was really brave not to let go of Alfie. I just feel awful it’s happened.”

The mum-of-three said she had since learned of similar attacks.

“I put something on Facebook to try to found out who the owner was,” she said. “Other people said they have friends whose dogs had been attacked on the same field by a dog of the same breed.”

Miss Hollis said she had reported the attack to police but was told no action could be taken without knowing who the dog’s owner was. A police spokesman said such attacks were not a criminal matter but could be pursued through civil courts.