Paramedic bitten by dog as he helped owner
A paramedic was bitten on the wrist by a Staffordshire bull terrier while he was trying to treat the animal's unconscious owner who was lying on a bench in a park.
Ambulance worker Andrew Hopwood was called after a man was found collapsed in Hednesford when the dog, which was not on a lead, 'locked its jaws' round his hand. The injured first responder instructed bystanders how to apply first aid to him until help arrived. Mr Philip Rowlands, prosecuting, said the dog called Snatch attacked the paramedic when he tried to move him aside.
He had wanted to tend to owner Karl Jones on September 14 in Cardigan Place last year. "This defendant was described as being unable to keep the dog under control. The dog was freely running around.
"There was concern about his health. When the paramedic came and attended to him, the dog bit him," Mr Rowlands said.
In a statement read out at Cannock Magistrates Court, Mr Hopwood, who has 22 years' experience with the service, said the dog was calm when he arrived and he had handled many similar cases.
Mr Hopwood said: "At first appearance it didn't seem dangerous and was licking its owner's face.
"I couldn't get any response from the casualty so I took hold of the dog's collar to try and move it to one side. As I did so the choke and chain came off. The dog seemed happy. Then I put it back and as I did so the dog attacked me."
"It bit into the wrist of my right arm. I felt incredible pain. It felt like an electric shock and ran all the way down to my finger tips. It's mouth was full of blood.
"The dog shook its head and this sent the pain level through the roof," Mr Hopwood added.
He was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire for treatment to the wound.
The court heard Snatch was confiscated by Staffordshire Police. Giving evidence on oath Jones, aged 31, of Barnard Road, Cannock, said he suffered black outs and denied being drunk.
He said had owned Snatch for six months prior to the incident and in that time he had not bitten anyone else.
He denied a charge of being the owner of a dog allowing it to be dangerously out of control in a public place and cause injury and denied the dog was not under proper control. But the bench found the case proved after a trial.
Sentencing was adjourned for reports and Jones was granted bail.
