XL bully owner thought she was 'going to die' during attack

The owner of an XL bully that attacked her before it was shot dead by police said she "thought she was going to die".

Officers were called to the incident in Rathmullan Drive in Newtownards shortly after 18:30 BST on Thursday when the dog attacked the woman and her partner.

Both victims were treated by ambulance crews at the scene, before making their own way to hospital.

The police said the dog was destroyed by specially trained officers, due to the risk to the public.

The owner of the dog, Ashton, who would only give her first name, told the BBC the attack caught her by surprise.

"I literally got the gate closed, stroked him on the face and he just latched on to me," she said.

"Before I knew it, I was at the other end of the garden.

"I actually thought I was going to die, I thought I was going to die.

"For my partner if it wasn't for him, I would probably be dead.

"I can't fault the PSNI, they did everything they possibly could.

"At the end of the day, there was a risk to public safety and everybody else in the street."

Ashton said the dog was an "XL bully" which she'd owned for around seven years and that it was in a "healthy, fit condition".

She added that council and animal welfare officers had been at her property on multiple occasions, but hadn't identified any problems with her dogs.

Ashton declined to comment when asked whether her dog had attacked her, or anyone else, before.

"If I knew that dog was capable of doing that, that dog wouldn't have been here."

The Ulster Unionist councillor, Linzi McLaren, said armed response officers rushed to the scene last night.

"My understanding is that the owners of an XL bully type dog had been attacked and police were called," she said.

"They encountered an incredibly aggressive and dangerous dog and then were forced to intervene.

"Unfortunately the only responsible outcome then was that the dog had to be euthanised."

She added that if the dog had of escaped its enclosure, someone else on the street could have been attacked.

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog.

The UK government published guidance to help identify XL bullies, which are not a specific breed.

They are described as large dogs "with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power".

Male XL dogs stand from 20in (51cm) high at the shoulder, with female XLs only slightly smaller.

Dogs are considered XLs if they meet the minimum height and a substantial number of other characteristics

There is currently a UK-wide ban on owning XL bully dogs.

Northern Irish owners who wished to keep their dog were required to get an exemption certificate by 31 December, in line with laws in the rest of the UK.

The restrictions are aimed at safeguarding people, livestock or any other animal from attacks by XL bully dogs.