THE daughter of a man mauled to death by an XL Bully had begged him to get rid of the pet days before his death.
Lonely widower David Daintree, 53, from Accrington, Lancashire, was fatally attacked on Tuesday evening.
His daughter Joanne told The Sun: “As soon as I knew it was an XL Bully I told him to get rid of it.”
David’s beloved wife Sharon had died in July 2021, leaving the widower lonely.
Young mum Joanne said: “He was lonely because the love of his life was no longer here and he didn’t know what to do with himself.”
In a tribute on social media, she said: “Sleep tight daddy Dave. Love you.
“He was the sort of person that couldn’t say no to anything.
“He had the biggest heart of gold and because he was on his own missing his late wife he wanted some company.”
After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised “to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs” by introducing the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The law is often considered controversial as it focuses on a dog’s breed or looks instead of an individual dog’s behaviour, and fails to stem the rise of dog attacks.
According to the RSPCA, over a third of the people killed by dogs since the act was brought in were attacked by legal breeds.
Police were called to David’s property in Ashley Court around 9.30pm on Tuesday by ambulance crews to reports of a dog attack.
The force had initially claimed the victim had been the owner of the animal.
Lancashire Police said with the dog “continuing to pose a significant threat of serious harm” officers were “left with no alternative” but to use a firearm to kill it.
Supt Marie Jackson said: “This is a tragic incident which has sadly resulted in a man losing his life and my thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.
“An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing and I would appeal to anyone with any information to get in touch.
“We will have extra officers out and about in the area carrying out enquiries and I would urge anyone with information or concerns to speak to them.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting log 1480 of August 20 2024.
Woman in her 50s mauled to death at home by two XL Bully dogs in Hornchurch, East London on May 21, 2014.
Esther Martin, 68, was looking after her grandson in Jaywick, Essex, when dogs Bear and Beauty attacked her on February 3, 2024.
Ian “Scouse” Langley, 54, was protecting his puppy when the animal pounced on him outside a home in Sunderland in October 2023.
Ian Price, 52, was viciously savaged in September 2023 by the beasts as he tried to protect his elderly mum from them after they escaped.
Jonathan Hogg, 37, was killed in May 2023 entered the dog’s pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head.
Natasha Johnston, 28, was mauled to death while walking a pack of dogs in January 2023 was believed to have been killed by her own pet – an American Bully XL.
Shirley Patrick, 83, died 17 days after being mauled in a “hellish”, violent dog attack in December 2022.
Ian Symes, 34, who was known to friends as “Wiggy”, died at a recreation ground in Fareham, Hampshire, after the savage attack in August 2022.
Joanne Robinson, 43, was fatally mauled by pet Rocco at her home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in July 2022.
Keven Jones, 62, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten by Cookie-Doe at Chanel Fong’s home in Wrexham, North Wales in May 2022.
Bella-Rae Birch, one, was mauled to death in March 2022 at her home by the American Bully XL.
Jack Lis, 10, was killed by a hulking XL Bully dog named Beast in November 2021 as he played at friend’s home in Caerphilly.
