Dog attack leaves Doncaster man ‘wary’ of going outdoors

A man who was attacked by what he believed was an XL bully dog has said he had suffered nightmares and often been too scared to leave his home since the incident.

Stuart Macey, 59, said he was bitten “without warning” outside a shop on Beckett Road in Doncaster on 19 December, causing deep wounds to his knee.

Mr Macey said that over six weeks after the attack he had not returned to where it had happened, and the thought of being near other dogs had left him “wary”.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed that on 2 February officers had seized the animal which was believed to have attacked Mr Macey and that an investigation was ongoing.

Warning: Graphic images of Mr Macey’s injuries are contained in this report

Since February 2024, it has been an offence in England and Wales to own an XL bully dog without an exemption certificate.

Among other restrictions, anyone who owns one must have the animal neutered and microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public.

Mr Macey said he had first noticed the dog after walking out of a shop, recalling how the canine’s eyes “went on me like a gun laser”.

When he tried to walk past it, it attacked “like a flash”, he explained.

“The dog had my knee and, as I was moving, I landed on my back and things became a bit blurry.

“My first thought was, ‘I need to get out of here’. I knew I was in danger. I was on the floor now and it was a big, muscular dog.

“My jeans were totally ripped open, my knee was bleeding profusely.”

Mr Macey said he eventually managed to get to safety and staff at the shop helped him treat the wound.

Since then, he had avoided leaving his home, he said.

“I’ve only been out two or three times: to see my doctor and to buy milk and bread,” he said.

“I’ve been getting some funny dreams, probably because I look at the injuries on my knee and it brings it back.”

Earlier this week, South Yorkshire Police confirmed to the BBC that the animal involved in the attack on Mr Macey had been seized on Sunday.

A force spokesperson added: “On 19 December, we received a call for reports that an XL bully had bitten a man on Beckett Road in Doncaster.

“It is alleged that a man was exiting a store on the road, when an XL Bully began to attack him, causing minor injuries.”

South Yorkshire Police previously said it had recorded 1,797 investigations into dogs causing injury or fear in South Yorkshire during 2024.

Of those investigations, 1,049 people had been injured, with some people requiring surgery and left with permanent physical and mental scars, the force said.

Mr Macey said he decided to share his experience after worrying that what had happened to him could also happen to someone else.

“In my mind, this dog is still out there, attacking people. Nobody has told me about the situation with the animal,” he said.

“This could happen to other people. This could be a young child or an old lady.”

Meanwhile, Mr Macey said the attack he suffered had changed his view of dogs.

“I did like dogs before this, but this has made me a bit more wary of them.”

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