A father-of-three fought off a pocket bully that clamped its jaws on his Labrador during an evening walk in Flint. Matthew Roberts, 44, was walking his dog Parker along Halkyn Road at around 10pm on Saturday, August 8, when the animal charged and attacked.
Parker, aged seven, required £700 worth of veterinary treatment. Matthew avoided being bitten but was left disturbed by the ordeal. He has also been left frustrated with the police, who were called to the scene, claiming they handed the dog back to its owner within an hour of the attack.
Attack and struggle
Matthew said the dog, which he described as a pocket bully type, went for Parker's throat but due to the Labrador's size ended up gripping him just under the shoulder. He tried to kick the dog, but it would not let go, so he grabbed its collar and twisted it to tighten around its neck. The dog eventually let go, and Matthew sat on it to control it.
Each time he loosened his grip to allow the dog to breathe, it would growl at him. A crowd gathered due to the noise, and someone called the police. Two officers arrived and told Matthew not to let go of the dog. He and one of the officers carried the dog into the back of the patrol car.
Police response
Matthew said the police checked if he had been bitten, took details, and said he would receive an update by the following night. Hearing nothing, he called at approximately 10pm on Sunday. An officer rang back later that evening, informing him the dog had been handed back to the owner in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Matthew believes checks should have been done on the dog, the owners, and their premises. He said it feels like they went with the easiest option that night. He has submitted a complaint to North Wales Police regarding their handling of the incident.
Injuries and aftermath
Parker required several hours of veterinary treatment on Sunday. Under anaesthetic, he received stitches to repair the injury, and the vet confirmed soft tissue and shoulder bone damage. The bill totalled £700.
Matthew said Parker seems okay but not as confident. He worries the dog is still roaming around and no longer wants his children to walk the dog. He added that if the dog had killed Parker, it would have been put down, and the only reason it didn't was because he stopped it.
Since first speaking with NorthWalesLive, an inspector made contact to provide further details regarding action already taken and additional measures planned. North Wales Police declined to comment further.
