Owner’s warning after dog’s death (From Dudley News)

Owner’s warning after dog’s death

12:00pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News

Milo

A NETHERTON dog owner is warning fellow dog walkers to be on their guard when out with their pet, after he was threatened by a gang during a late-night walk, which resulted in the death of his “best friend”.

Chris Guest has been left devastated after discovering his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Milo, pictured, dead in a canal, three weeks after he ran off during the terrifying incident on January 19.

The 42 year-old was walking three-year-old Milo around parkland near Mousesweet Close, in the early hours when he was approached by four hoodie-wearing youths who threatened to take his dog.

The dog owner, who works shifts as a machine operator, instinctively dropped Milo’s harness and told him to run off as two of the youths chased the dog, while another two ran after Chris in the opposite direction.

Chris said: “They chased Milo towards a wooded area near Vale Road and I ran home and got a torch and went straight back out to look for him, but never saw him again.”

His worried owner contacted the police who visited his address, but said they were unable to help, before he contacted K9 Search, which launched a social media, poster and leaflet campaign to track down the dog.

Chris spent the next three weeks searching for his pet, before a walker spotted Milo's moss-covered body in the canal at Bumble Hole on February 13. He said: “I’m just totally gutted. Absolutely devastated.

It was just me and him. He was my best friend, he was so loving, and really loyal. You only had to call him and he would be straight at your side.”

Chris is now considering moving out of the area because of the incident and is warning other dog walkers to be on their guard when out, urging them to carry personal safety alarms or to walk with someone else.

He said: “I don’t want to live somewhere where you can’t even walk your dog without being in fear. But I want people to know what happened to me, so they can be careful. Dog walkers should carry panic alarms or not go out on their own with their dog so it doesn't happen to them.”