A Penryn man is calling for a crackdown on dangerous and illegal dogs after his family pet was mauled and killed by a pit bull two weeks ago.

John McKechnie, of Brook Place, was walking his dog through College Woods with his 11 year-old children, Ross and Katie, on the morning of Friday, June 17.

The dog, Blake, a five year old greyhound they had owned for three months, was only just getting settled in the family home, John said.

“As we got to the end of the walk, by the bridge, we noticed a young lad trying to haul a dog out of the bushes,” he said.

“Ross was holding Blake and asked me to take him. The other dog growled at Blake quite aggressively and he took a step back.

“We asked the lad to go on ahead and he turned to go but the next thing we knew his dog had our dog by the throat.

“I was trying to kick it and punch it and get it off but the only way I managed to get it off was to grab its goolies. At that point I was bitten.”

Blake was left gravely injured following the attack and despite a £1000 emergency operation, he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of the morning on June 19.

The police are now investigating the incident and have seized the pit bull.