Sheffield 'XL Bully' attack: Dog hurt & owner 'bitten in face' during park incident near Athelstan school

A shocked dog owner says she feared her pet would die, claiming it was brutally attacked in a Sheffield park by two other dogs she believes were XL Bullys. Katie Gillatt was horrified when her sister, Louisa, returned with her pet, Ollie, a Jack Russell-shih tzu cross, after taking him for a walk.

She returned after the terrifying incident on fields near Athelstan Primary School in Handsworth, close to Richmond Park Road, with the dog having suffered a string of injuries including wounds and lost teeth. He was rushed to the vets, and Katie feared he could die.

She has called South Yorkshire Police telling them the two other dogs were running free from the owner when they attacked, leaving Ollie missing nine teeth, and with wounds to his neck and legs. She believes the man who was with the other dogs was also injured in the incident, saying that he was hurt as he tried to pull the two animals off Ollie and Louisa.

She wants anyone with any information to contact police, and says she is concerned what would have happened if a child had been attacked. Katie gave photo of seven-year-old Ollie’s injuries to NationalWorld’s sister title, The Star.

She said Louisa had taken Ollie for a walk at around 5pm on Tuesday evening, when she saw a man in his early 30s chasing two dogs that were running towards her.

Katie said: “She realised that they were coming at her. They grabbed my dog. We think the dogs were XL Bullys, but we are not completely sure. They were not muzzled or on leads. One of them had its jaws around Ollie’s head.

“The other dog was going for my sister. But the owner’s face was bitten too. Louise is very shaken up. She has a bite mark in her hand where she was trying to open one of the dogs mouths to free Ollie.

“Ollie is such a sweet and kind dog. He is like a celebrity at the vets, they love him. But the dogs who attacked him were out of control.

“I’m just devastated - I’ve not stopped crying since this happened, because Ollie has not been with me, he’s been at the vets. The first night I was worried that he may not survive what had happened.”

South Yorkshire Police have been contacted for comment.