Rescued Staffordshire-cross dog that mauled its owner, 25, to death by ‘ripping her arm off as she slept’ had attacked other pets near her home, neighbours reveal

• Keira Ladlow’s rescue dog attacked her at home in Kitts Green, Birmingham 
• Pronounced dead at the scene when police and paramedics arrived on Friday
• Now, a neighbour has revealed the ‘demon dog’ was only ever walked at night 
• Said it had tried to maul other pets – but Miss Ladlow wanted to ‘try and tame’ it

A ‘demon’ Staffordshire-cross dog who savaged its ‘kind and caring’ owner to death had attacked other pets in the area, neighbours have claimed.  

Keen kickboxer Keira Ladlow, 25, was alone at home in Kitts Green, Birmingham, when her rescue dog ripped her arm off while she slept, according to locals.

Police and paramedics arrived at 2pm on Friday after a relative raised the alarm but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Now, a neighbour has revealed the ‘demon dog’ was only ever walked at night because it had tried to maul other local pets – but Miss Ladlow was convinced she could ‘try and tame’ it.

A ‘demon’ Staffordshire-cross dog who savaged its ‘kind and caring’ owner Keira Ladlow, 25, (left) to death had attacked other pets in the area, neighbours have claimed. Miss Ludlow has posted photos of a Staffordshire cross dog (right) on her Facebook page but it has not been confirmed if it is the dog that attacked her 

A 19-year-old neighbour, who asked not to be named, told The Sun Online: ‘We’ve heard her dog had tried to attack two or three other dogs in the neighbourhood.

‘Someone said it was a rescue dog and was vicious and that Keira was trying to tame it. They called it a demon dog.’

The animal will now be put down. 

Friends and locals have paid tribute to Keira, 25, who they said was a keen kickboxer.

One woman said: ‘She used to be really into it and pretty good. 

Tributes have been paid to Keira Ladlow after she was savaged to death by her family’s rescue dog which chewed her arm off as she lay in bed, according to neighbours

‘She went to the same gym as my daughter who’s a couple of years younger than her.

‘I haven’t seen her for years now but I remember she was a lovely girl. She was kind, caring and a really nice girl. It’s awful she died the way she died.’

Maggie Moss, who is believed to be a family friend, said on Facebook: ‘RIP Keira Ladlow. Thoughts are with your family at this sad time god bless you all xxx.’

Miss Ladlow has posted photos of a Staffordshire cross dog on her Facebook page but it has not been confirmed if it is the dog that attacked her. 

Abeygail Barrett, believed to be Miss Ladlow’s cousin, posted on Facebook that she had found the dog ‘in a garden’.

West Midlands Police said no one else was in the property at the time and the Staffordshire cross dog was handed over to officers to be put down. Pictured: Keira Ladlow

She posted: ‘Her previous dog was a pit bull that died of cancer so she rescued this dog after finding it in a garden where it had been on and off for four years.

‘Sometimes dogs are rescued with all good intentions but their past can make them tragically unpredictable.’ 

Megan Woodhouse, another cousin, said on Facebook: ‘The thought of this gorgeous girl not being here with us makes me feel so sick.

‘I love you darling and thank you for blessing us all with smiles and laughs whenever you were around. 

‘I’ll never forget your amazing self. Sleep tight angel, my darling cousin.’ 

A source told The Sun that Ms Ladlow was ‘screaming and shouting for help’ and the bark from the dog was also ‘incredibly loud’. 

Neighbours on Sunbeam Way, pictured on Saturday, spoke of their shock after the attack

West Midlands Police said no one else was in the property at the time and the Staffordshire cross dog was handed over to officers to be put down. 

The dog bit her arm off while she lay in bed, according to neighbours on the quiet residential street of redbrick houses.    

Grandfather-of-five Eric Kirton, 72, a retired industrial cleaner, said: ‘I saw everything going on outside.

‘There were ambulances and police cars. I thought they were searching for a person, then I heard about the dog and thought they must’ve been looking for it.

‘My daughter phoned up and said a young lady had been bitten by a dog.

‘She’s a manageress in a cafe where lots of police go and heard there that the woman was in bed when the dog chewed her arm off.

‘I don’t know how she died, but it might’ve been from the wounds. Last night I could see eight or so relatives turn up at the house.

‘It’s such a surprise – I think most people around here had no idea what had happened.

‘It’s horrific. What a shame. It’s a shame for her and the dog. I love dogs, but had never seen that one.’

A woman, who didn’t not want to be named, said: ‘It’s shocking, absolutely shocking.

‘I’ve only recently moved here and don’t know her or the family. There was never any trouble there, and I never saw the dog.

‘There were loads of police and an ambulance when I came back from the shops. Then I found out when my friend sent me the news story this morning.

Police and paramedics were called to Sunbeam Way, Birmingham, pictured, on Friday afternoon

‘It’s terrible and must’ve been a horrific way to die.’

Another woman added: ‘When the police and ambulances came we were told to come outside because something had happened, then heard a young woman had died.

‘There were lots of cars and a rapid response team. I didn’t really know about the cause of death until I heard it was a dog attack.

‘I thought “no way” because it felt completely surreal. It’s the kind of thing that only happens in the movies.

‘I still can’t understand how a pet can turn like that. I saw the dog being taken away and, as far as I can tell, it looked fine.

‘I’d never seen it before and I heard from a neighbour it was only walked at certain times. She used to pull her own dog away from it because she thought it was violent.

‘I saw on the news it was a Staffie, but to be it looked more like a Bull Mastiff. I don’t know the woman at all, only that she was 25.’

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: ‘We were called to Sunbeam Way just after 2pm on Friday by a relative.

‘Sadly, a woman, aged 25, was found dead at the scene after suffering serious injuries believed to have been caused by a family dog which also lived at the address.

‘No-one else was in the property at the time, and the woman’s family has signed the dog, believed to be a Staffordshire cross, over to police.

‘It will be humanely put to sleep.’

He added: ‘The death is being treated as a tragic incident, but with no suspicious circumstances.’ 

A file will be prepared for the coroner in due course.’ 

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