Prize-winning pony savaged by dog in frenzied attack

A woman has told H&H how her son’s pony “ran for its life” as it was savaged by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

Nibbles, a 10.2hh spotted pony, was attacked in his field at Wolstenholme Norden, near Rochdale, on Saturday 26 November. He suffered a deep wound to his throat.

Lesley Butler told H&H: “I arrived at the farm about 8pm to give Nibbles his feed and bring him in and he came running towards me with the dog on him.

“He must have charged through two gates as he tried to get away.”

Nibbles was left with a four-inch gash on his neck and needed emergency veterinary treatment.

“It must have been going on for a while and I came in at the tail end,” said Mrs Butler.

“The dog’s owner was standing there, saying, ‘he’s never done this before’. Nibbles fell and he grabbed the dog and left.”

The dog’s owner has not been traced. Mrs Butler said police told her that they cannot help because the incident is classed as a civil matter.

Mrs Butler said Nibbles was “in shock” after the attack, but is now “ok in himself”.

“The vet came to take his stitches out yesterday (Tuesday 5 December), but the wound has opened up again,” she said.

“He didn’t want to re-stitch it so he has packed it out with cream.

“I just hope the dog’s owner has gone out and bought it a muzzle,” she added.

Mrs Butler said her eight-year-old son, Jacob, did not see the attack, but was “very upset” by what had happened. The pair have competed in gymkhanas together and were champion of their local competition last year.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police told H&H: “Unless the dog is classified as illegal under the Dangerous Dogs Act or is dangerously out of control, it is not a criminal offence for a dog to bite another animal.”

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