Family devastated after XL bullies kill puppy

Maisie was four months old when she was mauled to death

A teenager has been unable to eat or sleep after XL bullies mauled her puppy to death and bit her during a walk.

Mellissa Devon, 49, said her daughter Nikita, 18, was left traumatised after the dogs killed the family's four-month-old cocker spaniel Maisie in Ferryhill, County Durham, on Wednesday.

"She hasn't been able to eat, she hasn't been able to sleep, she's crying, she's shaking and just traumatised," Mrs Devon said.

Durham Police said the owners, a man and woman in their 20s, had XL bully certificates for the animals which were removed by a dog handler.

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog and ownership is restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

It has been a criminal offence to own one without an exemption certificate in the UK since 1 February 2024.

But the family has called for stricter rules on the breed.

Mrs Devon's other daughter, Tasha Devon, who lives nearby and witnessed the attack, said: "People need to stop having these dangerous dogs.

"They're not pets, they're guard dogs, they should not be living on normal housing estates.

"Every house on this street, behind the door is either a small child or an elderly person - they cannot outrun a dog like that, it's impossible."

'Time stopped'

The attack happened on Grasmere Road, in Ferryhill, County Durham, at about 12:30 BST.

Police said the dogs were believed to have escaped from an address.

Mrs Devon said she was coming home from work when she heard screaming and shouting and did not realise it was Maisie being attacked.

"She looked so small to these big dogs. They were just chucking her up in the air and shaking her. It was awful.

The puppy had only recently started going on walks

Tasha Devon added: "You can't describe it.

"I was stood there, time had just stopped. You just freeze. I couldn't move, I couldn't say anything.

"And then as soon as someone shouted it's Maisie, she's dead, I just screamed."

The 23-year-old also said that the puppy had only recently started going on walks and had been "the light of everybody's lives".