XL bully kills chihuahua in 'horrendous' attack in Falmouth

An investigation has begun after a chihuahua was killed by an XL bully in Cornwall.

Now the owners of Luca the chihuahua are speaking out, urging owners of dangerous breeds to ensure their dogs are muzzled to avoid more deaths.

The bully was being walked by an unsupervised minor who lost control before running across a park and biting Laura Williams and her dog in Falmouth.

Recalling the incident, Luca's owner, Laura said the bully was shaking him around "like a rag doll" until he died. 

Laura had been walking Luca to the field near Eve Parc on the evening of Friday 6 October when the attack took place.

She said Luca was “always on a lead” and that she “never takes him off the lead.”

Laura said: “There was a group of kids in the middle of the field and that dog, [an] XL bully dog, just came running towards us. One of them was shouting ‘no, no, no, no, no’.

“I was going in circles trying to protect him, flying around; I was trying to catch him but I couldn’t because the dog was on me.

“He just wouldn’t let go,” she added, “and I just tried to open the dog's mouth and I just couldn’t.”

Laura attempted to defend Luca by punching the XL bully, but it didn't have an effect and Laura was also bitten. She knew it was already too late. 

Laura called her husband, Dave Williams, to tell him what had happened. She said: "I had to leave him in the other dog’s mouth because I knew I couldn’t do anything.

"He was like a rag doll being shook. It was horrific, I keep on having to relive that.

“I feel guilty because I feel I didn’t protect him enough," Laura added, "although I did everything I could to try and save him. Luca was my baby."

Laura and Dave Williams wanted to express their thanks to a young man called Keaton who rushed to help as Luca was being savaged by the bully. 

In the end, the bully dropped Luca, and Laura and Keaton picked him up and took him to the vet, but Luca couldn’t be saved.

The XL bully who attacked Luca has been put to sleep at the request of its owner.

Dave said: "We basically just want to prevent this happening again."

Referencing himself and the owner of the XL bully, he added: “Two families have had to bury their family member and it could've been prevented.”

"What Laura’s had to go through is horrendous. What we wanted to say [to the owners of] certain breeds of dogs is just think about how it’s worth muzzling them every single walk."

Dave also wants owners to think twice about letting “minors” walk big dogs “especially off lead” and said even on a lead, the XL bully “was big and strong enough to drag a child along.”

He said: “Think about whether a muzzle would be a good idea if your dog, regardless of size, has had a tendency to run towards other dogs or children.

“A muzzle could be the one thing standing in the way of the death of all dogs, small or large.

“Maybe a law should be passed where all dogs of certain tendencies being walked by minors need to be supervised by an adult. Any sweet-natured dog can turn, as proven."

Devon and Cornwall Police has confirmed that the incident is being investigated and the XL bully has been put to sleep. 

The force said: "Police were called to the area of Falmouth on Friday at around 3.30 pm following a report that an XL bully dog had attacked and killed a chihuahua. 

“It was also reported that the dog had bitten a person who attempted to intervene, resulting in a minor injury to the person’s hand.

“The XL bully was put to sleep at the vets following the incident, at the request of the owner.

"Enquiries remain ongoing in relation to this matter."