The owner of a Yorkshire Terrier savaged by a German Shepherd says the law needs to be changed because no action has been taken against the owners of the dog.

Elizabeth Adam's dog Cocoa suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and had to have 24 stitches after it was attacked by a German Shepherd, off its leash, near Mrs Adam's home in Iqbal Court, Laisterdyke.

"If a dog displays aggressive behaviour then it poses a risk to people as well as other animals," she said.

"As it is the law can do absolutely nothing about the attack on Cocoa and the owners of the dog have completely got away with it."

Mrs Adam said she was terrified when the dog pounced on five-year-old Cocoa. The 47-year-old said: "Cocoa was swinging lifelessly in the dog's mouth and was bleeding badly.

"When my partner tried to get Cocoa out of the dog's grip it bit him on the hand and pierced his skin. It was growling and acting ferociously."

She said it took two people to free the dog from the German Shepherd.

"After they freed Cocoa the dog continued to follow us. The vet told us that Cocoa was lucky to survive the attack.'' Mrs Adam has reported the attack to Bradford Council's dog warden service and the police. A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said officers had received a report of a man having received a minor injury when he was bitten by a dog in the area of Iqbal Court and that inquiries are ongoing.

"I would just like to thank the PDSA charity who took care of Cocoa," said Mrs Adam. "Without their help she would have died because we could not have afforded to treat Cocoa."

Cocoa has made a good recovery since the attack which happened Thursday, November 2 at 6.50pm.

l Among the aims of the Telegraph & Argus Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign is for compulsory dog registration to be introduced which includes a record of all control orders.

We are also calling for the compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs, mandatory life bans from ownership for anyone convicted of having a dangerous dog, and a specific offence of allowing a dog to stray.

How YOU can sign our petition: You can back our Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign by signing our petition, which will be submitted to the Home Secretary, John Reid.

We want to collect as many signatures as possible to show Dr Reid the strength of feeling about the inadequacies of the Dangerous Dogs Act and to put pressure on him to better protect the public against dog attacks by acting on the changes to the law we have outlined on the petition. You can support our campaign by adding your own name on the petition online at www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. Or you can print out the petition and ask family, friends and colleagues to sign as well.

But whatever you can do will add weight to our campaign and help to make it clear to Dr Reid the strength of public feeling regarding the desperate need to change the current law.

Remember, you need to return copies of the petition to the T&A (the address is at the foot of the form). We will then submit all the forms we receive to the Home Office.

e-mail: jennifer.sugden @bradford.newsquest.co.uk