Claydon woman Carolyn Allum pleads with pet owners after guide dog Lea attacked in Ipswich

A blind woman is pleading with people to keep their pets under control after a traumatic attack on her guide dog – and fears the effect future incidents could have on her mobility.

On October 27, Carolyn Allum, of Claydon, was walking with her six-year-old guide dog, Lea, at Tower Ramparts bus station in Ipswich.

She was heading back home ‘on a high’ while listening to a reading of a play she co-wrote, when a dog started acting aggressively towards Lea.

It was then she was shocked to find the dog had broken free of its owner and was heading straight for them.

Carolyn, who is registered blind, said she could tell by the sounds it was making that it was ‘not a nice dog’ – and within seconds, it was trying to get on top of Lea.

Carolyn said: “Lea was frightened, running around in a circle and trying to get away and I screamed ‘somebody get it off her’ and I ended up getting pulled over flat on my face.

“After this, I couldn’t get up because Lea’s lead was tangled around me.

“Lea didn’t suffer any physical injuries, but I’ve noticed a marked difference in her behaviour since the attack.

“She’s been apprehensive about getting on the bus, as I think she associates them with the incident. If we come across a dog in town, she takes a wide berth around it or stops.

“I know I’ve tightened my grip on her harness handle since the attack, which she will have picked up on, so I’m working on this and trying to not be frightened, so it doesn’t affect her.”

This is not the first time her guide dogs have been attacked, Carolyn said.

Lea was targeted once before – and her previous working dog, Ally, had to be retired early after six separate incidents.

Carolyn fears that future events could take her mobility away.

Lea is six, and she feared there could be more incidents, and she would have to be retired as well.

She added: “What I want to say to the public is please understand that if your dog attacks my dog, you could be taking my mobility away.

“It’s not just about keeping a dog on a lead; it’s about keeping it on a lead and under control.

“Think about what you’re taking away from somebody else’s life if you don’t do this. The potential for so much damage is there.

“When Ally was forced to retire early at the age of six, she was just a shadow of her former self, and I would hate for Lea to have the same experience.”

The Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 means it is illegal to be in charge of an aggressive animal that attacks an assistance dog – and it could land the offender in prison for up to three years.

Jessica Luke, from the Guide Dogs charity, said she was saddened to hear of the attack of Carolyn and Lea, and that its team were supporting them both as they recover.

She urged dog owners to keep their pets on leashes and at a safe distance from guide dogs so they can work without interference.

Jessica added: “It takes years and tens of thousands of pounds to raise and train a guide dog for someone with sight loss, and all of this work can be undone in an instant by an irresponsible dog owner.”