Dog mauling horror leaves gran in fear

Jennifer Thompson, 65, was walking through Freckleton just before the unprovoked attack and said she noticed a woman walking a large dog – a German Shepherd – coming towards her.

She said: “I thought ‘that’s a big dog’ and all of a sudden it just lunged at me. There was no provocation at all.

“I turned my back, which was just as well it would have got my face. I was just really scared.”

The dog bit Mrs Thompson’s back, leaving deep puncture wounds and bruising to her back and legs.

She had to go to hospital immediately and attend follow up appointments at Freckleton Health Centre for injections and antibiotics.

Mrs Thompson, of Green Lane West in the village, was walking to a friend’s house before the attack in May, but would usually have had her grandchildren, aged one, two and three, with her.

She said: “I was really scared, in a state of shock and wanted to go home.

“I was in such complete shock I don’t even remember going home.

“I was left black and blue and still have some bruising and scarring.

“I’ve never been frightened of dogs before, but I am now.

“If that dog had been a child, it wouldn’t have survived. It was a vicious attack.”

Coun Albert Pinder, Fylde Council cabinet member for customer and operational services said: “Fylde Council employs dog wardens who will not hesitate to press for charges in incidents of this nature.”

The owner of the dog, Julie Parkinson, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog that was out of control in a public place and that, while out of control, it caused injury to a third party.
She was fined £150 by Blackpool Magistrates, ordered to pay £200 compensation and £250 costs. She was also handed a three-year Contingent Destruction Order, meaning she has to keep the dog muzzled and on a lead in public for the next three years. The dog will be destroyed if the order is broken.