Three injured in big dog rampage

Akitas are large, powerful dogs

A five-year-old girl and two elderly people were hurt when a large pet dog ran amok in a Worcestershire town.

Police said the Akita attacked the trio in the Cobham Road area of Aggborough, Kidderminster, on Wednesday afternoon.

A big game marksman from nearby West Midlands Safari Park was called in to subdue the dog, which he said measured more than three feet at the shoulder.

Head keeper Bob Lawrence told BBC News that he had to use an extra dart of tranquiliser to bring the dog down.

He was called in by police who wanted to capture the animal without having to kill it.

The dog had a girl by the head Bob Lawrence West Midlands Safari Park

"It did have a go at us," Mr Lawrence said.

"Once we'd given it a dart it still came back at us - I had to fire another dart to bring it down.

"The dog was probably three or three-and-a-half feet at the shoulder. It took three of us to carry it."

He said the girl who was attacked by the dog, which is now in kennels in Kidderminster, was "lucky to survive".

"The dog had a girl by the head. She was shaken like a rag doll," Mr Lawrence said.

The girl and two adults escaped with minor injuries.

Coincidentally, Mr Lawrence was called out to subdue a 12-stone Akita in the same town last year.

'Time to think'

He confirmed that Wednesday's incident involved a different dog.

A West Mercia Police spokeswoman said its owner had been questioned about owning a dog that is out of control in a public place, causing injury.

She said it was not an arrestable offence and that the man had not been charged.

The spokesperson added that the man had been "given time to think about whether the dog should be put down".