Diane Black said her four-year-old dog was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier that was off its lead at the Herlington Centre, in Orton Malborne, Peterborough, on Thursday evening (June 12th).

The young spaniel was left with open wounds in her neck and ear which needed veterinary attention, but when Ms Black contacted the police, she was told the matter could not be taken any further.

Today, Ms Black (49), of Leighton, Orton Malborne, said: "Surely the dog is dangerous and could attack a child next time.

"I know that if my three-year-old granddaughter was with me she would have tried to intervene. What would have happened then?"

A city council spokeswoman said that the main priority of the authority's dog wardens was to pick up strays, meaning that it is up to the police to launch a criminal investigation under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

However, a Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: "An attack by one dog on another dog is not covered by the legislation which currently exists.

"Officers do follow up these incidents where they can to establish whether they are isolated, or there is a continuing problem.

"This woman's incident is being looked at by her local neighbourhood team."

Police in the Ortons have already attempted to tackle out-of-control dogs by spearheading a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous canines following complaints from residents after Lillian England was bitten on the leg.

The pensioner suffered an angina attack after two Staffordshire bull terriers mauled her two-year-old Jack Russell, Santa, in a field near Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay, last July.

Describing the latest attack, Ms Black said: "The Staffordshire bull terrier was not on a lead and charged at Amber, grabbing her by the throat.

"Amber was so scared she slipped her collar and she was bleeding so much that we had to take her to the vet.

"The owner of the other dog was very apologetic, but I don't think that's good enough. If Amber had been an eight-week old puppy, she would now be dead.

"I was surprised that neither the council nor police could do anything. I was told that because it was a dog on dog attack, rather than a dog on human attack, there was nothing they could do."