American Bully XL dog attack in Buckingham leaves family traumatised

Eddie was attacked in a Buckingham park on August 20 when he was on a daily walk with his owner Brian Cartwright on August 26.

Brian’s partner Svitlana Cartwright received a devastating call from their 12-year-old son, saying Eddie the Tibetan Terrier had been rushed to the emergency vets after the ferocious attack led to Eddie having gruesome puncture wounds on his abdomen and back and internal bleeding.

Svitlana told the Free Press how the bully dog dragged the woman walking him on the ground before pulling himself free and coming for Eddie: “He grabbed Eddie and crushed him. He wouldn’t let go. My husband said he think if Eddie wasn’t on that side he would attack him. The dog had red mist over his eyes, there was no warning.

Eddie suffered horrific puncture wounds to his abdomen and back from the Bully dog's strong jaws (Image: Svitlana Cartwright)

“This is a dangerous dog. He has already killed another animal and they won’t differentiate between a dog and a child.

“They are lethal weapons, the breeding gives them an advantage to attack without any notice. I’m absolutely terrified this killer dog is out there.”

Watching Eddie suffer in the days after the attack despite the strongest medication given to him was “unbearable”, Svitlana said.

Eddie did not survive the gruesome wounds, which caused internal bleeding (Image: Svitlana Cartwright)

READ MORE: American XL Bully dog to be banned but Bucks readers hit out

After days of costly treatment, the shocked family were told Eddie might need an amputation on part of his abdomen and repeated surgeries. Eventually, they made the painful decision to euthanise the seven-year-old dog.

Because the family didn’t “feel safe anymore”, they have decided to put their house up for sale and move on, Svitlana explained.

The community living on the estate are scared knowing the dog still roams around with its owner, she said.

“Although we have lots of memories of Eddie, now all we have is how he died. This place reminds us of that. When a dog dies it’s always sad, but this is next level, because this is a deliberate act by the person who owns the dog, but the police are not doing anything,” she added.

Buckinghamshire Council councillor Robin Struchbury from Buckingham said having a pet is a “large responsibility” and anyone “lucky enough” to have a pet should ensure others are not put at risk by them, he said.

“The tragedy of this is that the wonderful estate is not a place that you would automatically imagine this would happen. The residents are a really good community and we need to be aware of that in all actions we take because overall 99.9 percent of resident there are wonderful. And it’s a shame this individual matter now has a put a cloud over their lives,” he added.  

Eddie was a happy and loved dog (Image: Svitlana Cartwright)

The MP for Buckingham Greg Smith said the attack on Eddie was “tragic and heartbreaking.”

He said he had been in contact with the local Police Area Commander on the matter and he understands “the concern in Buckingham town that the dog which attacked Eddie is still at large.”

“The laws already exist to ensure dogs which have proven themselves to be a threat to other animals and humans can be dealt with appropriately and that clearly should happen in this case, likewise prosecutions against those who mistreat dogs and train them to be this aggressive and violent,” he added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Friday September 15 that XL Bully dogs will be banned in the UK. 

The move comes after an 11-year-old girl and two men were attacked by a dog in Birmingham and a man was mauled to death in Staffordshire .

Thames Valley Police confirmed it received reports of a dangerous dog in Braid End on August 21.

The report has been filed following an investigation and further information coming to light, the force said.

Anyone with information on the attack should call 101 or make a report online quoting reference 43230373440.