Grieving owner attacks dog walker over 'too many' pets

A grieving owner whose pet died after running away from a professional dog walker has called for tighter controls.

Sera Mendelson said her Pomeranian, called Bella, ran away after being charged by a larger dog while out on Hampstead Heath with the walker.

However despite a long search she was not found that night. The £1,000 pet was discovered badly injured after being run over near Kenwood car park the following day. She died later.

Mrs Mendelson, of Willesden, claimed the dog walker had too many animals and had left it for five hours before informing her that her pet was missing.

She said: "Eight dogs are too many for one walker because in a pack dogs' behaviour can change. One person just cannot control them. I would feel more comfortable if they had smaller groups and at least half of them on the lead.

"My family have been left absolutely devastated. What most upset me is that the walker didn't give me an opportunity to look for my own dog until it was too late.

"If I had gone to the heath straight away and called her name she would have come. But she was scared, ran into the thicket and didn't come out."

The incident is the latest in a line of complaints about professional dog walkers on the heath, which is run by the City of London Corporation.

A spokesman said he was applying to clamp down on an excessive number of animals being looked after by one person.

He said: "This tragic event highlights the concerns the corporation has across its open spaces about commercial dog walkers."