A man who was detained in connection with the tragic death of Ian Price, who was mauled by two dogs in Staffordshire, has been released on conditional bail. Mr. Price, aged 52, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital following the horrifying incident that occurred on Main Street, Stonnall, at approximately 15.15 BST on Thursday.
The 30-year-old individual was taken into custody under suspicion of being in charge of dogs dangerously out of control and manslaughter following the fatal attack. Staffordshire Police have confirmed that this individual, hailing from the Lichfield area, has been subjected to several interviews but has now been released while further inquiries are conducted.
In a statement, Staffordshire Police remarked, “Our investigation continues at pace as we try to understand more about events leading up to this horrendous attack.”
One significant aspect of the ongoing investigation involves confirming the breed of the dogs involved through DNA testing. Preliminary expert examinations suggest that they are XL bullies.
During the aftermath of the incident, one of the dogs perished while being restrained, while the other had to be euthanised by a veterinarian.
The police department disclosed that officers had previously engaged with the owner of the dogs twice earlier this year in response to reports from concerned members of the public. The interactions with the dog owner included a visit on January 14, when reports indicated that two XL bully dogs were off their lead in a field in Stonnall.
During the visit, officers provided advice to the owner regarding controlling the dogs while in public places. At that time, both dogs were present and appeared calm, displaying no signs of aggression towards the officers.
Additionally, officers had a conversation with the owner on March 30, following another report involving two XL bullies. In this instance, the dogs had reportedly mounted another dog in Stonnall, but no injuries were sustained by anyone in the area.
Mr. Price’s tragic death has prompted Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to pledge to ban the specific breed of dog involved in the incident by the end of the year. This announcement follows a series of incidents involving dangerous dogs in recent days, shedding light on the need for measures to ensure public safety.
