Danielle Hughes was carrying her Chihuahua, named Toad, to her car in the Barlanark area on December 17 when she says the large dog ‘pounced on them’.
06:43, 05 Jan 2026Updated 10:21, 05 Jan 2026
Toad suffered ‘multiple puncture wounds’ in the attack, his owner has said(Image: Provided)
A tiny chihuahua in Glasgow reportedly suffered multiple ‘puncture wounds’ after being ‘ripped’ from its owner’s arms by an aggressive mixed-breed staffy, which was on a lead. Danielle Hughes was carrying her chihuahua, named Toad, to her car in the Barlanark area on December 17 when she says the large dog ‘pounced on them’, despite it being held on a lead by its owner.
Danielle told Glasgow Live: “[The staffy] ripped my dog out of my arms and just flung him about as if he was a rag doll. It was awful. Toad was screaming.”
Given that the staffy was still attached to its lead, Danielle was able to rescue Toad, who is about to turn two years old, and took him straight to the vet, where his multiple injuries were tended to.
She added: “That’s when we found out about the puncture wounds on him, and one going into his chest. His X-ray showed a little black blur which could indicate that air had got into the puncture wound, which could go into his heart and lungs. We had to keep an eye on him, check his breathing and the colour of his gums.
Danielle says Toad was ‘flung about as if he was a rag doll'(Image: Provided)
“Thankfully, it was absolutely fine, but that was the biggest worry.”
As well as X-rays, Dannielle says Toad needed sedation and an ultrasound after the attack, and is now on antibiotics and pain relief.
But they were both shaken by the incident.
She says: “It was so scary. After it happened, it was all I could think about. I kept replaying it in my head, seeing my dog flung about as if it was nothing. It was awful and so traumatising.
“I’m just annoyed because we’ve done so much work with Toad to build up his confidence, and now that this has happened, he’s going to be terrified.”
Toad the tiny Chihuahua(Image: Provided)
She warned neighbours to be wary of the staffy on the community platform Nextdoor, saying: “If you’re a dog owner and live near Garlieston Road, please be aware of a large black/brown brindle Staffy mix breed with a white snout. I don’t want any more dogs getting attacked.”
Dannielle says she has contacted the police, SSPCA and the dog warden about the incident, and is waiting to hear back about what measures can be taken to ensure the staffy is kept under control.
In Scotland, a Dog Control Notice may be issued to owners by their local council if their dog behaves in a way that ‘worries or scares people’.
Before issuing a notice, the dog warden will look into what happened. They will speak to the owner and gather information from others involved.
A Dog Control Notice will require the owner to take measures to keep their dog under control.
These can include:
- keeping your dog on a lead in public
- going to dog training classes
- using a muzzle
Those who don’t follow the notice could be fined up to £1,000, be banned from owning a dog or have their dog taken away.