A ROTTWEILER owner is adamant that his dog is no danger to the public. L’Ancresse resident Lloyd Wallbridge, 24, insisted that his three-year-old dog, Magnum, would not harm anyone and it is far from being the ‘Beast of L’Ancresse’.

He has spoken out after two teenage sisters warned islanders to beware of a large dark dog, which they believed to be a Rottweiler, in the L’Ancresse area. They told the Guernsey Press that the animal attacked their Belgian shepherd dog and left them fearing for their lives.

The sisters said it came out of the gorse, approached them and stood in their path. They claimed that the animal, which had no identification, leapt forward and viciously attacked their muzzled dog, jumping at its neck several times.

‘I know full well he would never do anything to hurt anybody. He is scared of his own shadow,’ said Mr Wallbridge. ‘I have been down to Les Amarreurs playground a few times and children and parents have come to see him and he has been fine.’

When he has escaped previously, neighbours have quickly taken him back inside. ‘He goes quietly in,’ insisted Mr Wallbridge.

‘I know Rotties have a bad background but that is due to 10 years ago in London when they used to breed them to fight. You would be unlucky if you got an aggressive Rottweiler now.

‘It is not my dog that traumatised these girls because he is friendly,’ said Mr Wallbridge.

‘Sometimes Rotties have a friendly growl which people mistake for an aggressive one. My dog is no beast and there is no need to be afraid of him.

‘My dog always wears a collar and is registered with missingpets.com. He is well built but very friendly and is very playful when he sees other dogs and jumps up at them but is only being playful,’ he said.

‘If it was Magnum, I would like to say sorry to the girls and the dog. It would have been out of character if it was him.’

The sisters’ mother said she called police after the incident and claimed she was told nothing could be done unless the dog was seen again, in which case the police should be called.

Police confirmed at the time that they were notified about the incident the following day, therefore a search of the immediate area would not have been considered useful and identification of this particular animal would be very difficult.

GSPCA welfare officer Jenny Fox said yesterday: ‘As much as we like to think our dogs will never harm anyone or anything, we can never be 100% certain. As a dog counsellor and trainer, I would not assume that my own dogs would be 100% safe if put in a threatening situation.’

‘Don’t put your dog in a position where it could be the perpetrator – secure gardens and lock doors,’ she advised.

‘We must be responsible at all times and make sure dogs never roam the public highway. Stray dogs pose a threat to themselves and others and can cause accidents.

‘You also have no idea what other people might be doing to your dog if they feel threatened by his presence.’