A KESGRAVE woman is calling for greyhounds to be muzzled after her pet dog was attacked while out for a walk.

A KESGRAVE woman is calling for greyhounds to be muzzled after her pet dog was attacked while out for a walk.

Janet Essex, 66, of Jennings Drift, said she was walking her Lhasa Apso, called Simba, on the Millennium field in the town when the attack took place.

Mrs Essex said a large black greyhound dashed over to Simba before biting its shoulder and stomach.

“If I had not pulled this beast off my dog it would have torn it to shreds,” she said.

“My dog has bite marks all over his tummy and is afraid to go on the fields again.

“It's about time it was law that these dogs should be kept muzzled while in public.”

Mrs Essex said she will be looking to get in touch with authorities in an attempt to get greyhounds recognised as dangerous dogs.

Currently, only a handful of breeds fall into this category, including pit bulls and rottweilers.

A spate of vicious attacks on young children by pit bulls in the early 1990s led to a tightening of legislation regarding dog ownership.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 meant strict guidelines for owners and how their dogs should behave in public.

“Greyhounds, and especially the racing dogs, should be muzzled and kept under control,” she said.

“They are trained to catch a rabbit and if they see a little dog running they are going to think it's a rabbit.

“They should be muzzled and there are no two ways about it.”

Has your pet suffered an animal attack? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk