More Than 200,000 People Have Signed Petition To Save Hero The Staffy

What started as a petition to save a local dog has turned into a worldwide support campaign.

Emma McLean started an online petition hoping a Melbourne council would spare a Staffy named Hero because it killed a dachshund in a tragic attack earlier this week.

It's now hit more than 200,000 signatures in less than a day.

Emma has been blown away from the response, adding: "I cannot believe the amount of support my petition has received in such a small amount of time. You are all amazing people!

Kashila Chintamunnee

"We have gone viral, and it's all thanks to each and every one of you!! I am overwhelmed with the support and kind messages you are all leaving, and i really just appreciate every signature.

"I don't personally know Hero's owner, but i have been in contact with her after I made my petition just to let her know i have done it, and so she knows she has people in her corner."

Hero has been thrust into the spotlight after he killed a dachshund called Coco in Parkenham.

Opinion was initially split on who was to blame for the tragedy.

Kashila Chintamunnee

Coco's owner, Kashila Chintamunnee, shared a post on Facebook in which she accused Claudia Harrison of letting go of her dog and allowing it to maul her dog Coco for 10 minutes on Tuesday morning.

She also shared pictures of the pavement and the Staffy covered in blood.

It's worth noting that Hero was leashed at the time while Coco was not.

Mrs Harrison has refuted Ms Chintamunnee's version of events, claiming Hero was set upon by three loose dogs.

In a statement on behalf of his 'traumatised' wife, husband Paki Harrison said: "My son and I were taking our dog for a walk up the hill near the lake; three dogs approached us from behind - two smaller dogs and one larger dog.

Kashila Chintamunnee/Facebook

"I pulled my dog away at the same time. My dog was on his lead with a harness. I looked around but there was no owner in sight, and I was worried for my son.

"I yelled and tried to signal for nearby help but there wasn't anyone. At this stage I couldn't keep the dogs away from my dogs or keep my son safe."

Grainy CCTV footage appears to corroborate Mrs Harrison's version of events, with loose dogs appearing to pursue her and Hero in the park.

However, Ms Chintamunnee said she has contacted police and the council and has argued that Hero is not safe to be in public.

Topics: Community, Animals, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie