Owner's heartbreak after Yorkshire terrier dies after being savagely attacked by vicious dog in Blackpool

Benji, 14, was brutally attacked by the bully-type dog while being walked on-lead outside the City Look clothes shop on Coronation Street on Saturday (April 9).

It took a crowd of more than 10 passers-by around two minutes to unhinge the brute's jaws from around the little dog's neck.

Benji was rushed to the PDSA Pet Hospital on Hawes Side Lane, where he tragically died of his injuries two days later.

His devastated owner Jan Holker, 56, of Adelaide Street, said: “If you’ve got a dangerous dog, if you know that dog is aggressive, why bring it out off-lead with no muzzle? Why?

"I’m heartbroken. How would you feel if it was your dog? I’m shattered.”

The shocking incident was caught on CCTV by the Sorrento House hotel. It shows the bully-type dog being walked on-lead by a male down Coronation Street. The male then leaves the dog untied next to a lamp post and enters a nearby shop.

Benji then passes by, being walked on-lead by Jan's neighbour, and is lunged at by the other dog, who shakes him violently.

A large crowd of people then gather and attempt to intervene, with one man wrestling with the dog while a woman hits it with a stick.

Sorrento House owner Agnes Ashe, who helped free Benji from the bully's jaws, said: “I’ve hardly slept for two or three nights since it happened. I’m absolutely devastated. That poor woman had that dog for all these years, and that poor dog has been killed just innocently taking a walk… It’s just awful. I’ll never forget it.

"I broke a few nails trying to get the dog’s mouth open. Me and a man did manage it, but it seemed like it took us ages to do it. I risked my life to do it because that dog could have then bounced on me, but you just don’t think of these things at the time, you just want to try and help.”

Her husband David, who also witnessed the attack, said: “It grabbed the little dog by the throat and shook it like a rag doll. My wife ran across and tried to prize its jaws open, but it just wasn’t letting go.

"It took four or five people to get it off. A girl hit it with a stick, and it still didn’t let go. A guy threw a jug of water on it, and that didn’t work. By the time they got the dog’s jaws off the little dog’s neck, there must have been 20 people around.

"It was horrific, absolutely horrific. I came out with a blanket and picked the little dog up in my arms. There was blood everywhere, its head was hanging to one side and it wasn’t moving at all.”

The owner of the vicious dog was quizzed by police at the scene, and allegedly revealed he had a muzzle in his bag, but had chosen not to use it as the dog did not like it.

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Jan said: “Benji was 14 going on two. Everybody loved him. He was so friendly and went up to anyone.

"I just want the message out there that if you have a dog that you know is a danger, don’t bring it out. 99 per cent of these incidents are caused by stupid, irresponsible owners. It’s not the dog’s fault – it’s them. If they had kept that dog at home, or put a lead and muzzle on it, Benji would still be running around here.”

A Lancashire police spokesman said confirmed the attack had been reported to them, but said: “This is a matter for the local authority and dog warden, given it was a dog on dog attack.”

However, a Blackpool Council spokesman said: “In regards to this, our dog warden services has had no reports of this incident, but are investigating further.”