Resident launches campaign after dog attack in park

A resident in north Bristol is appealing to the public to record and recount dog attacks in local parkland after a recent incident.

Stephanie Campbell says she was attacked by what is believed to be an XL Bully in Stoke Park on Saturday.

The mum-of-two says it is down to luck that she and her two young children were not seriously injured.

She is now asking for park users to share their experiences of dog-on-person and dog-on-dog attacks to start to build a picture of what is happening in the park.

Recalling the incident on Saturday, Stephanie says she was walking with her three-year old-toddler and baby near The Vench Adventure Playground at the north of the park when the dog attack occurred.

She said: “This huge dog hurled towards me and my children, I put myself in the way to protect my kids and got bitten on my collarbone, the owner just didn’t have any control over it – I was absolutely terrified.

“I can’t stop thinking about the size of this dog compared to the size of my 11-month-old baby.”

Stephanie was walking with her toddler and baby in Stoke Park estate on Saturday when they were confronted by an XL Bully – photo: Stephanie Campbell    

Stephanie said that the dog was not on a lead and the owner was carrying a muzzle but the dog was not wearing one.

“This attack has really troubled me,” she added. “I regularly roam around Stoke Park and I want to feel safe raising my children here.

“It’s not just the attack but the owner’s reaction as if what happened wasn’t an issue to him.

“He may have thought his dog was being friendly but I feared for mine and my children’s life at that moment in time.”

Since speaking out about the incident on social media, Stephanie says many people have come forward stating they are fearful of walking their children or dogs in Stoke Park.

She is now appealing to current and past users of the park to document their incidents so she can bring this to the attention of the authorities.

Stephanie added: “Many do not report incidents to the police or dog warden, but I think there is fear in using our beautiful public spaces due to out of control dogs, whether injury has occurred or not.

“Something needs to be done so we can feel safe in our parks.”

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Read more: Stoke Park Estate celebrated in storytelling project

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Kyra Davies, a local bulldog owner whose house backs onto the Stoke Park Estate, says that both her and her dogs have also been on the receiving end of incidents in the parkland.

She says that dog owners need to put boundaries in place to ensure other people feel comfortable but also to ensure their pets are protected too.

She said: “Not everyone likes dogs, not everyone’s dogs are OK with your dogs near them, and everyone will have different interpretations of your dogs actions and intentions too.”

Nationally, there has been a reported 22 per cent increase in dog attacks in the past two years while the prime minister has recently announced that the American XL bully breed is to be added to the banned dogs list.

But Dog Control Coalition believes breed specific legislation “is a flawed and failing response”.

They say that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled, replacing it with solutions to promote responsible ownership and breeding, wider public education on dog safety and early intervention to prevent dog aggression.

If you or your dog has been involved in a dog related incident in the Stoke Park estate, you can record your experience anonymously via www.docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG6AivHuIFWPUbjkTjVhENiBrMEuRr9cQXoMogfcNMkO_Jvw/viewform

Emily Shimell is reporting on Lockleaze as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media

Main photo: Emily Shimell 

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