OAP neighbor of ‘horror house’ where mother and two children were murdered by ‘devil dogs’ says she’s a ‘prisoner in my own house’

A retired retiree feels like a prisoner in her own home because she’s afraid her neighbors’ dogs will attack her.

The “aggressive” dogs brutally murdered the mother and two young children living next door to the woman in their 70s on Friday night.

3

They are believed to be American Bullies, a non-prohibited breed that has been involved in a… wave of recent deadly attacks.

Witnesses said the trio were left “covered in blood and bite marks” after the terrifying mauling.

A man in his early twenties was arrested on suspicion of assault, coercion and controlling behavior and leading a dangerously out of control dog. He remains in custody.

Officers seized four dogs from the property in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, which remains vacant today.

The only signs of habitation are the piles of rubbish in both the front and back yards.

The OAP, who lives alone in an adjacent terraced house from the period, told today how she had felt trapped for months due to fear of the animals.

After her long-term neighbor moved out, a couple bought the property to rent out as a business venture, and new tenants moved in 18 months ago.

Despite a “no pets” rule, the family kept one dog – which was then expanded to four.

The retiree, who has lived happily in her peaceful and well-kept home for 40 years, said: “I am trapped like a prisoner in my own home.

“I’m too scared to go outside because of the stray dogs, the mess and the smell. It’s terrible.”

The concerned resident told how a gate, less than 3 meters high, divides their homes amid a taller fence.

She said she asked the tenants to build a larger building because she was concerned about the four dogs jumping over her and attacking her, but she was told it was the landlord’s responsibility.

However, when she contacted the landlord, they claimed it was the tenants.

She has now had to place three wheelie bins in front of the low gate to act as a barricade.

“It’s scary,” she said. “They could easily jump over the gate and attack.

“The dogs bark constantly and seem very aggressive.”

‘VERY AGGRESSIVE’

The woman recalled the moment the horror unfolded on Friday and said she hadn’t paid much attention to it at first because “the house is always so noisy,” but she soon realized the commotion wasn’t a party.

“I heard all that screaming and the dog is barking all the time. It sounded bad,” she said.

“Another neighbor called the police but was told they had already been warned and were on their way.

“The mother and children were rushed to hospital, the man was arrested and the dogs were taken away.”

Derbyshire Police said officers were called around 6pm on 12 August for reports of a domestic incident.

A woman in her twenties was found to have been attacked and bitten by a dog, while two young boys had also been attacked by the animals.

A third youth was injured in the incident, but none of their injuries are life-threatening.

The retired woman’s concerned son visited her today to install CCTV and described the events and her living conditions as hellish.

I’m trapped like a prisoner in my own house.

He said: “My mother has been through so much since the house was rented out. It’s been a nightmare.

“My sister stayed with her for some comfort, but she couldn’t sleep because of the persistent noise from the dogs.

“The couple don’t throw their trash in bins either, they just throw it in the yard for the dogs to take apart, so there’s rubbish everywhere.”

Another man, who lives nearby, added: “I want her to come stay with me, but she refuses to be evicted from her house.”

The woman says she has repeatedly contacted the Erewash Council’s environmental health and canine treatment departments, but feels she is “fighting a losing battle”.

She said even with “piles of junk and dog poop” in the front and back yards, authorities didn’t want to know.

“It is disgusting and against environmental regulations,” she added.

“The municipality has placed containers and some waste has been removed, but I still have a lot of that. It is unhygienic.”

3

3