A TAVISTOCK man has made an impassioned plea for dog owners to keep their dogs under control after being bitten twice on the ankle while walking past a farm on Dartmoor.

William Turner said the two bites he had sustained on his ankle were still painful ten days after the incident, which took place on Friday, February 25.

He was walking past a farm near Pew Tor, on the moor not far from Tavistock, when the attack took place.

He said: ‘As I walked past the entrance to a farmyard, a dog shot out from behind me and bit me on the ankle and the ran back into the farmyard.

‘I was not in a position to run after it because my ankle was pretty painful.

‘It left me very shocked and in a lot of pain. I sustained two puncture wounds either side of my Achilles’ tendon on my right ankle.’

He has since reported the incident to Tavistock Police, who confirmed this week that they were looking into what had happened.

Mr Turner has also gone back to the doctor as the wounds have not healed and he is still in a lot of pain.

He said he was concerned that a child might be attacked by the same dog, with potentially a more serious outcome.

‘Surely a dog out of control that attacks people is a crime for which the police must take action.

‘I’m sure this will not have been an isolated incident. I think this dog is out of control.

‘I’m pretty annoyed. I don’t think for one moment that I’m unlucky. I think this has been going on for some time and that this has happened to other people.’

He said he was no stranger to attacks on dogs, having witnessed attacks on livestock on the moor.

‘I’m a gardener but I have also worked on farms on Dartmoor. I have seen what dogs can do to sheep and it is not pretty.

‘This could have been a child, that is what worries me.’

Incidents can be reported to the police by calling 101 or emailing [email protected]. In an emergency, always dial 999.