Fearless dog owner gets Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Crocodile Dundee-esque chokehold to save pet in Southsea horror attack

Brave Gary Crosbie, 59, was left wrestling in Crocodile Dundee-esque style with the monster Staffy after it jaw locked his deaf 13-year-old working cocker spaniel Dizzy near the D-Day Story in Clarence Esplanade, Southsea.

The shocking episode left Gary’s wife screaming before she collapsed in horror having a panic attack as the muzzle-less dog with no lead on clamped its teeth on Dizzy’s ear as it set about ‘trying to kill her’.

The incident, which took place on Saturday August 6 around 8.30pm in Avenue de Caen, saw strangers dash to help - with one desperately pouring a beer over the dangerous animal.

The savage attack happened before the dog attack death of Ian ‘Wiggy’ Symes in Fareham on August 10 and the mauling of a child who survived in Leigh Park two days earlier.

Gary, a 25-stone bailiff who was visiting Portsmouth for the day with his wife in their campervan from Godalming, Surrey, said the dog suddenly attacked for no reason.

Gary told The News: ‘The woman and her dog were walking nearby and then her dog bounced towards us and attacked my dog, getting hold of her in its mouth. I quickly reacted and started punching the dog as hard as I could.

‘A man came over and poured a can of beer over its head. But the dog was still locked onto Dizzy so I tried to put my hand into its mouth - I couldn’t get it to let go.

‘I put my arm around its throat into a chokehold and started twisting and pulling it. But it was still not letting go. I was on top of it hitting it as hard as I could and it was still not yelping.

‘Eventually it’s neck was creaking and I managed to get it off…it whimpered and yelped. I got hold of its collar and pointed the finger at the woman.’

As the dog was restrained and a lead put on it, heroic Gary then turned his fury to the out of control dog. ‘I put my face into its face and said: “You know that was bad”,’ he said.

‘It was trying to kill Dizzy. Even when I got it off it was still trying to go back to finish Dizzy off.’

Gary contacted the police but was stunned at their response. ‘They said the dog did not bite me so it was not worth a report. They told me to talk to a dog warden who then said they were “so busy” when I called,’ he said.

‘It’s disgraceful. The dog would have killed. It was mental.

‘Dizzy’s traumatised and will never be the same. She gets in a panic when she sees other dogs. It wasn’t like she went over to the dog - it came over to us and attacked.

‘I’m grateful for all the support we received from everyone nearby.’

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A police spokeswoman said: ‘The person who made the report has been directed to speak to the local authority and the local dog warden. The neighbourhood policing team has also been made aware.

‘The incident has now been reviewed and is under investigation – we will be visiting those involved to speak to them.’