XL Bully shot by PSNI at Rathmullan Drive in Newtownards: Owner of dog thought her own pet was going to kill her
The owner of an XL bully dog that was shot dead by police in Ards thought that her own dog was going to kill her.
The PSNI attended a property in the Rathmullan Drive area of Newtownards on Thursday 3 April, following a report that a dog had attacked a man and a woman.
"The man and woman were given first aid for their injuries at the scene before being conveyed to hospital," a PSNI spokesman said. "The dog was destroyed by specially trained officers, due to the risk to the public."
The owner of the dog, who would only give her first name - Ashton - said 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," she told the BBC.
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.
The Ulster Unionist councillor, Linzi McLaren, said armed response officers rushed to the scene.
"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."