Police seize killer dogs after couple's beloved pet mauled to death in Doncaster

Eight-year-old kokoni Charlie had to be put to sleep by vets after suffering horrific injuries when he was savaged by a mastiff in Thorne last week.

Now police have seized two dogs from a nearby property – and an investigation has been launched by police.

Officers also revealed that the owner of the dogs has been served with a community protection notice – which are designed to prevent anti-social behaviour while the probe continues.

In a statement, a South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident that took place at Staniland Marina in Thorne on 16 February 2023.

“A Dogue de Bordeaux dog has managed to escape its leash after being tied up whilst it’s owner was not present.

"The Dogue de Bordeaux has then attacked another dog present at the marina. Unfortunately, the attacked dog sustained injuries that were so severe it had to be put to sleep.

“The owner of the Dogue de Bordeaux has been located and both of his dogs have been seized.

"The owner has been issued a Community Protection Notice – the investigation is still on-going.

“If you have any information regarding this incident please contact us on 101 or on the SYP website.”

Distressed owner Jon Snelling looked on in horror as the huge and powerful dog attacked Charlie.

After the attack, Mr Snelling and partner Sue Hillyer issued a warning to other dog walkers to be on their guard.

He said: “The dog was loose, having crossed the bridge over the canal on its own and the owner was nowhere around.

"He attacked our dog while he was on a lead and I was giving him his early evening walk last Thursday.

"It was vicious and completely unprovoked. Charlie was put to sleep later that night as the injuries were so bad as to make any chance of recovery very unlikely.”

Describing Charlie as a ‘beautiful little dog’ he said: “It will almost certainly kill again – or maybe severely injure a person next time.”

Charlie was brought over from Cyprus by the Mayflower Sanctuary in Bawtry and Mr Snelling said he was “well known all over Thorne as such an unusual dog and so full of character.”

He added: “We adopted him at about eighteen months. He used to belong to the President of Cyprus but had wound up living on the streets before being rescued.

"The story is now well known around Thorne and people are now rightly afraid to walk their dogs or even their small children anywhere near the Lock Bridge and Marina.

“The whole community is suffering and restricted from their normal lives until the dogs are taken or they attack again – possibly a child next.”

Details of the attack come after police in Doncaster locked down a suburb on Tuesday to seize a ‘dangerously out of control’ dog.

Officers swooped on the property in Brockhole Close, closing off a number of other streets in the area to seize the animal.