United Kingdom

Dog walker killed by dogs listed for the first time

It comes amid heightened concern among members of the dog walking community and local people in South London and Surrey after two weeks with little information about what happened at Gravely Hill.

Mrs Johnston was with eight dogs when several of them turned on her as she was walking them on the North Downs Way, near Caterham.

None of the dogs are banned breeds, including two dachshunds and a Leonberger who previously appeared on a BBC TV show. At least two of the dog owners live in the South Croydon area of ​​London.

In an earlier statement, Ms Johnston’s family, who have not been named at this time, said it was an “extremely difficult time”.

The fatal attack has sparked concern over conflicting regulations, with councils setting different limits on dogs that can be walked by one person.

Croydon Borough Council allows four dogs per handler, while Tandbridge Borough Council, where the attack took place, allows six.

The 28-year-old woman is believed to have been with eight dogs when several of them turned on her as she was walking in Gravelly Hill, a popular walking spot in Surrey which borders the M25.

As she tried to fight off the dogs, she is understood to have shouted at two horsewomen who came onto the scene to ‘back off’.

The unseated rider, Susan Dove, 60, said: “We could hear shouting and screaming. I thought ‘oh my god this is terrible’.

Locals also claimed that a few days before her death, the dog walker was “excited and struggling to control” the pets she was caring for.

Another woman, who was bitten by a dog in the ensuing confusion, was later released from the hospital.

The number of dog bite injuries has been increasing in recent years. Between 1998 and 2018, hospitalizations for dog-related injuries doubled in England, with around 8,000 admissions each year.

Coroner Simon Wickens will lead the inquest hearing at Surrey Crown Court.