Put Down Dog That Savaged My Kelly
www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk
March 15, 2004, GLOUCESTERSHIRE--Schoolgirl Kelly Dore was savaged by a dog
as she played with friends in the snow. Now the 12-year-old's dad Peter says
the animal should be put down. The incident happened at Andoversford Village
Hall's sports field on Friday at noon. Kelly, who lives in Crossfields, had
been playing with two-year-old Connor Perkins when she saw the dog running
towards them. The Japanese Akita had been playing with her 16-year-old
brother Ricky at a house nearby.
Kelly said: "I was playing with about 10 friends when I saw the dog. "I
could tell it was going to do something bad as its teeth were showing and I
could hear growling."It went for Connor first and bit him when he was on the
floor. I managed to pull him away from the dog but it turned on me."
"It bit my hand, arm and leg. The wounds started to bleed fast and it really
hurt. My brother managed to get rid of the dog and it ran away."We went back
to Connor's house and his mum called the police and ambulance. I was scared
and shaken. I'll play in the park again but I don't want to be anywhere near
dogs."
Kelly was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital where her wounds were
bandaged. Connor was also treated for bite wounds.
Ricky, 16, said: "The dog belongs to a mate. We were playing with it in the
back garden. It was getting quite excited and suddenly bolted for the gate
and escaped. "We ran out after it and saw that it was running towards some
children. It was only when I got nearer that I realised it was Kelly. "It
went for the little boy first. By the time I was near them it had attacked
my sister.
"I booted the dog off her and shouted at it to go home. It ran off and we
didn't see it again.
"The dog is normally chained up in the back garden and doesn't have much
contact with kids. That must be why it attacked them."
Police found the dog on Friday. It has been sent to an animal centre.
Officers plan to interview its owners.
Mr Dore, 41, a lorry driver, said: "Kelly was brave to go and help the
little boy."He said it was not the first time he had heard the dog had
attacked someone. "It's obviously got a problem and needs to be put down
before it does serious damage to someone," he added. "I was worried when I
heard that Kelly had been hurt. You think the worst.
