'I've lost all trust in bigger dogs': Father lucky to be alive after XL bully-type dog savaged him outside home
A Staffordshire man who was mauled by an XL Bully-type dog said he has "lost all trust" in bigger dogs and thanked emergency services who saved his life.
Neil Inman, 55, a father-of-two from Cannock, was left with post-traumatic stress disorder following a nearly fatal attack by an XL Bully-type dog in October.
The plasterer was walking into his home on Balmoral Court on Belt Road, Hednesford on Friday, October 17, when he was set upon by the big dog.
Neil was left with injuries to his groin area and was later told by surgeons that had the dog's bite been only an inch across, it would likely have cost him his life.
Now Mr Inman has spoken to the Express & Star about the psychological effect that being attacked by the large dog has had on his daily life, and his appreciation for the work of the emergency services.
Neil said: "I never thought this would happen to me, I don't think anyone ever does really. It's changed my whole mindset. I've lost all trust in bigger dogs.
"I cross the road now, I can't bring myself to walk by one. I've lost all trust in the breed. I can't help but have that constant fear of these bigger dogs. I never thought like this before."
Neil says the dog attacked unprovoked, lunging for him and latching onto his groin area. Surgeons said if the bite was only an inch across, it would have destroyed a major vein and he would have bled out.
The father-of-two continued: "It was only on me for a few seconds, but I remember every single moment of it. It just lunged and then it was ripped off me. It's really lucky it was on a lead - if it wasn't, I doubt I'd be here today.
"I do think about it a lot. For the first three nights after it happened, I'd only get around 20 minutes of sleep. You just think about what happened and how close it was. I thought about my kids.
"The fact that it was so close - that made it really emotional for me. Psychologically, it has kept me up at night. I haven't really been out much since it happened. I do find it quite hard."
Neil credits the emergency services and the staff at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital for saving his life, going on to say that Staffordshire Police officers have been "fantastic".
He continued: "I really can't thank them enough. The police have been absolutely brilliant with getting the dog and getting it tested. And the emergency services, I can't fault them.
"Honestly if it wasn't for them and the hospital I'd probably be dead right now. There was an officer who sat with me for around three hours that first night, which made a lot of difference. I think everyone has been amazing, I can't thank them enough."
Staffordshire Police said that the dog was contained at the scene and arrangements have been made for it to be destroyed at the owner's request.
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: "A man, in his 50s, was taken to hospital by paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service after he was bitten by a dog. He has since been discharged.
"The dog, believed to be an XL Bully, was contained at the scene. Arrangements have been made for the destruction of the dog at the owner’s request.
"A man in his 40s is due to be interviewed in relation to the incident."
The attack is the latest in a string of XL bully attacks in the West Midlands, with this attack coming only two months after the death of Ian Price, who was sadly killed after being mauled by two XL Bully dogs in Stonnall.
The attack also comes after an 11-year-old girl from Birmingham was savaged by an XL Bully cross-breed puppy, injuring her and two others and sparking a national debate over the safety of the animals.
In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the breed would be banned before the end of the year.
The Prime Minister said: "The American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children. I share the nation's horror at the recent videos we've all seen.
"It's clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs. It's a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on. We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year."
