Coroner calls for rules on size of dogs after walker savaged to death by her bull terrier

The size and number of dogs being walked together is a cause for ‘concern’, a coroner said yesterday, after a woman was mauled to death while exercising eight pets.

Natasha Johnston, 28, was fatally attacked during a walk with the dogs – including her own banned bull terrier – in Caterham, Surrey, on January 12, 2023.

She lost control of the pack she was looking after near Gravelly Hill, an inquest into her death heard yesterday.

Ms Johnston – who grew up and lived in Croydon, south London – was killed as the consequence of the savage attack, and had multiple injuries consistent with dog bites and claw marks.

A post-mortem revealed her cause of death as shock and haemorrhage including perforation of the left jugular vein, as well as penetrating bites to the neck, arms and torso.

Senior Coroner Richard Travers said the lack of regulation to control dogs is “a matter of concern” on a national level following Ms Johnson’s death.

During the hearing at Surrey Coroner’s Court, at which two of Ms Johnston’s friends were in attendance, Mr Travers said he would prepare a Prevention of Future Deaths Report for Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

In it, he will highlight the current lack of strict, national rules regarding the number and size of dogs that can be walked in public.

In his conclusion, Mr Travers told the hearing Ms Johnston was initially in control of her dogs but ‘it was readily apparent that control was lost with a tragic result’.

Ms Johnston’s brother Jordan said in a statement to the inquest: “She was familiar with dogs and walked the same group of dogs for a long period at this location and elsewhere and never reported problems at any time.”

The inquest was told Ms Johnston was found by Ben Kershaw – a local resident who was walking in the area with his mother – down a slope when he noticed two or three dogs around her body. Two had blood on their snouts.

Mr Travers praised Mr Kershaw for having ‘acted very bravely’ when approaching and attempting to assist Ms Johnston, who was not a member of any organised dog-walking association and did not have a dogwalking certificate.

But despite efforts by Mr Kershaw, police officers, and paramedics administering CPR to Ms Johnston, she was pronounced dead just before 3.30pm. Ms Johnston had been seen by several people in the area prior to her death, the inquest heard – including by horse riders whose animals were spooked by the out-of-control dogs.

The inquest did not hear which dog or dogs had been responsible for Ms Johnston’s death. However, it was previously reported that two of her dogs which were being walked on the day had since been destroyed, including a banned bull terrier named Stan.

The other six dogs were returned to their owners.

The coroner heard that Surrey County Council’s code of conduct for walkers in the countryside advised the walking of no more than six dogs at a time.

Mr Travers said: “It would appear there is no restriction in the number and size of dogs that someone can walk in a public place.

“This is not a problem limited to Surrey — it appears to be a national issue.”

Tandridge District Council said it is considering new measures following Ms Johnstone’s death, including updating its existing licences for dog walkers.