Mum almost loses finger trying to protect dog from XL Bully

Megan has been left with severe nerve damage

A terrified mum says an XL bully almost ripped off her finger as she tried to stop it from mauling her dog. Megan Whitehead, 32, was left with blood “spurting” from her hand after the banned dog attacked her boxer, Marvin, and then bit her right forefinger.

She required a tetanus shot and a local anaesthesic at A&E. Doctors have now said she has severe nerve damage in her finger, meaning she cannot clench her fist or 'open a can'.

Speaking about the attack, the mum-of-one said: “When I first managed to get my hand out of its mouth, I thought that I’d be missing fingers. The pain was excruciating. It was awful. The ring that I had on my finger was quite sentimental. They had to cut it off as it was acting as a tourniquet.

"As they cut that off, it just started spurting with blood everywhere. And that’s when we realised how deep the injuries were. There’s severe nerve damage where I can’t even bend my finger. I can’t do something as simple as open a can of pop as I can’t curl my finger around a can.”

Megan, who is a full-time carer for her grandad, said she was walking Marvin in her home town of Haslingden, Lancs., when the XL bully suddenly charged towards her. It then latched onto Marvin's throat while she did her best to stop it from hurting her beloved pet.

She said: “It just came flying out from nowhere and launched onto his throat. I was kicking the XL bully in the face to try and get it off him. My dog’s a big dog, but he’s a wimp. He was just trying to get away from him, but it was swinging off his throat. I managed to grab hold of it by the scruff because obviously it had no muzzle, collar, nothing like that on it.

“But I couldn’t hold it for that long – it was too strong... And it slipped away, and that’s when it attacked him again. The owner then came and bear-hugged the dog to pick it up, and as he’s done that, that’s when it's latched onto my hand."

Since the incident, Megan says the police have told her they will seize the animal and take it off the streets. But she claims this is yet to happen - and believes the dog could have killed a child if they were present during the attack.

Meghan added: “The way it attacked me and my dog, it would have killed somebody. I don’t want this dog out there any longer as it will kill a child. It had pure intent, and I am so lucky that it didn’t kill my dog. I have four large scars on my finger, and it is very misshapen, but I am still lucky to have it.

“I came off a heck of a lot luckier than I should have done considering everything that has happened. The dog has not been seized and it is roaming the streets and causing a lot of damage, and God forbid if I had my daughter with me or someone else child it would have killed them.

“I have always thought it is not the dog it’s the owners but the way the dog came towards my dog with pure intent I am not so sure anymore.”

Having visited the owner to discuss what had happened to her, Megan also said they did not take her injuries seriously. Megan said: “I was laughed at and told what are you talking about.

"My hand was pouring with blood there was so much blood I couldn’t see the injuries and pain and the adrenaline, and I was still just laughed at basically.”

A spokesperson from Lancashire Police said: “We are aware of this, and enquiries are ongoing to locate the dog.”

Since February 1, 2024, owning the XL Bully breed has become a criminal offence in England and Wales unless owners have an exemption certificate and anyone who owns one of the dogs needs to have the animal neutered and microchipped.

The law came in after a spate of attacks occurring with the dog breed and in some cases, victims were killed as a result.