The parents of an Atherton teenager who was mauled to death by a pack of dogs in March are backing a campaign to encourage owners to be responsible for their pet’s behaviour.
Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, was killed on March 27 while she was staying with her friend in Wigan. The dogs, understood to be two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers, were owned by her friend’s mother Beverley Concannon who was out shopping when the attack happened.
Jade’s campaign has now been launched with an awareness event being held on the Hag Fold estate in Atherton where owners will be offered advice on looking after dogs and practical help such as free micro chipping.
Other events will also be held across Wigan organised by Wigan Council, Wigan and Leigh Housing, Greater Manchester Police and dog welfare charity Blue Cross.
Jade’s mum Shirley and step-dad Michael have campaigned for tougher sentences for owners whose dogs attack people. Michael said: “This is a more practical campaign calling on people to make sure they are looking after their dogs.
“The message we want people to understand is that if a dog isn’t cared for properly they can potentially become dangerous.
“A quarter of a million people were attacked by dogs last year. We think this could be significantly reduced if people took better care of their dogs. That means making sure they get plenty of exercise and food, are kept in an appropriate environment and have clear behaviour boundaries.
“Some owners might have difficulty controlling their pet. We want to help them by offering advice and support. We hope this will stop problems arising.
“We’re also hoping to encourage members of the public to come forward if they think an owner is mistreating a dog or a dog is becoming dangerous. This information could be vital in preventing further attacks.”
The issue for a change in law to tighten rules on irresponsible dog owners has been raised in the House of Commons by MP Julie Hilling.
Donna Hall, chief executive of Wigan Council, said: “This is a major campaign for the council and we plan to hold a series of community events across Wigan Borough over the coming months.
“We are committed to working with Jade’s family to raise awareness of this issue and to do all we can to encourage people to take care of their dogs responsibly.”
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