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Pack of dogs scares pub customers

Simon Thacker
22/12/2006

TERRIFIED residents were forced to call out the dog warden when a pack of Alsatians were seen roaming the streets near their local pub.

Regulars at the Spread Eagle on Blackburn Road, Accrington, say the four animals had been left in the backyard of a derelict shop for weeks.

They say that despite calls to the police, council and RSPCA, nothing was done to move the dogs which were barking at all the customers.

It was not until the dogs escaped from the yard and were roaming the streets outside that they were finally taken away by the dog warden.

Sheila Wooding, landlady of the Spread Eagle, said: "We weren't even able to get beer delivered as some of the people who brought it refused point-blank to come with the dogs around.

"A lot of parents use the car park to take their children to nursery. What chance would a baby or small child have against a pack of hungry Alsatians?

"When I rang the council about it I was told that more than 20 people had complained. Why won't anyone do anything until it's too late and people are hurt?

"It is not the dogs' fault as they have been neglected and starved. Their owner should be banned from ever having any animal again."

It is believed the dogs escaped from the yard by jumping over a wall and that two of them injured their legs as a result.

Hyndburn dog warden Steve Wood said: "Whenever anyone at the pub tried to go near the dogs, they went ballistic. A pack of four Alsatians roaming the streets is a very frightening sight.

"When I got to them there was no aggression in the dogs, they were just terrified. You could tell all four of them were scared witless.

"They smelled awful and their coats were in a real mess. Two of them had obviously hurt themselves as they were limping."

But he confirmed that all four dogs have now been re-homed.