A PENSIONER has urged dog walkers to be vigilant after her greyhound was savaged by another dog.

Ten-year-old Billy was left ‘howling and crying in agony’ after the attack in The Lodge, near Watery Lane, Darwen, according to owner Janice Hassan.

In June, Ziggy – a Yorkshire Terrier belonging to Helen Pilkington – was attacked by a white pitbull cross breed in the same area of Watery Lane.

The latest incident was reported to police, but no action has been taken.

Ms Hassan, 61, who lives in Darwen, had taken her former rescue dog for a short walk in the beauty spot, when a dog chasing a ball, thrown by two teenage boys, ran towards Billy and plunged his teeth into his back legs.

Ms Hassan said: “It was horrifying. It all happened in seconds, but it seemed like forever.

“He was dragged to the floor and ripped to bits around his left thigh and rear right leg.

“Blood was pouring out of him and he was shaking in agony.

“He was screaming and so was I. It was horrendous to see.”

A worker from a nearby furniture shop overheard the commotion and went to help carry Billy to Ms Hassan’s house, because he couldn’t stand up.

He was then taken for stitches at the vets, after the incident.

Ms Hassan added: “Billy has had a terrible life with a previous owner, and he is so gentle, he wouldn’t harm anything.

“He’s a member of this family and this has traumatised us.

“It was a terrible start to the year.

“I want this dog’s owners tracing and made to muzzle the dog and only allow him out on a lead.

“It could have been a child that was attacked.

“It’s dreadful to think about.”

The dog which attacked Billy is described as a male Staffordshire terrier cross, which is white with small dark markings.

A police spokesman said: “We have told the owner to report the dog to the dog warden if she spots it again.

“We cannot take any action as the owner has not been identified.”

A spokeswoman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said the borough’s dog warden did not have the power to intervene in such a situation.