What started as an ordinary day for Donna Mawby quickly turned into a nightmare when an XL Bully dog burst into her home and launched a vicious attack on her and her French bulldog, Darcy.
The terrifying incident happened in February 2024 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, and was captured on doorbell footage.
A Sudden and Violent Invasion
The out-of-control dog, named Cookie, belonged to Marecko Ratteray and Kerryan Bott.
As Mrs. Mawby tried to get Darcy inside her home and shut the door, Cookie charged in before she could react.
Prosecutor Nicola Patton told the court that Mrs. Mawby was unable to stop the powerful dog from forcing its way in.
Realizing the danger, she tried to fight off the dog, but it clamped its jaws onto her left arm, causing deep bite wounds.
Meanwhile, Darcy hid under a coffee table, only for Cookie to flip the table across the living room and violently shake the smaller dog in its jaws.
Neighbor Rushes to Help but Gets Injured
Hearing the commotion, neighbor Michael Page rushed to assist.
However, in the struggle to restrain Cookie, he was bitten so severely that his finger was nearly severed.
Throughout the attack, Mrs. Mawby’s two young sons, aged seven and nine, could be heard crying in distress in the background.
Eventually, Mrs. Mawby and Mr. Page managed to subdue the dog, bringing the terrifying ordeal to an end.
“I’m Just Glad It Was Me and Not My Children”
Recalling the attack, Mrs. Mawby told the BBC, “I just grabbed Darcy and ran into my house.
I wasn’t quick enough to close the front door, and the dog literally barged through.
She was so powerful. It all happened so quickly.
I was screaming, but I didn’t even realize I was injured at the time because of the adrenaline.”
She described how the XL Bully zeroed in on Darcy, chasing her under the coffee table before flipping it across the room.
“She had no chance,” she said. “The dog was ragging her around like a rabbit.”
Darcy had to undergo emergency surgery after suffering a torn muscle from the attack.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Mawby revealed she now suffers from flashbacks and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the traumatic event.
Dog Owners Face Legal Consequences
The case was brought before Leicester Crown Court, where Ratteray and Bott were sentenced to 14-month suspended sentences.
The court heard that Cookie had been legally owned despite the UK’s ban on XL Bullies, as Ratteray had an exemption certificate.
However, five months before the attack, he had signed a voluntary control order requiring him to keep Cookie secure at all times.
Defense lawyer Simren Singh explained that the attack occurred after Cookie got loose while Ratteray was putting out the bins.
Judge William Harbage KC condemned the owners’ negligence, stating, “You allowed this dog to escape with very serious consequences.
It could have been a whole lot worse if the dog had gotten hold of a child.”
Sentencing and Restrictions
Ratteray, 41, of Oxford Street, Leicester, and Bott, 34, of John Wesley Close, Mountsorrel, were ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Mrs. Mawby and £1,000 to Mr. Page.
They were also required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, pay £610.60 for the cost of kenneling Cookie before it was destroyed, and were banned from owning dogs for five years.
This incident has once again sparked debate over the dangers of XL Bullies and the responsibilities of dog owners in ensuring public safety.
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