‘Iron Age’ pig attacks dog walkers in rewilding area
A retired couple and their pet dog were attacked by a hybrid “Iron Age” pig while out walking in a country estate’s rewilding area.
The female hog clamped its teeth around their cocker spaniel, Luna, slicing through its stomach, before attacking Mark Shadbolt, 62, leaving him with a wound on his leg.
His wife Vanessa, 57, was able to avoid the attack by “making herself big” and waving a walking pole at the animal, on the Westacre estate near Swaffham, Norfolk.
Mr Shadbolt, of Gayton, Norfolk, had to visit his GP for a tetanus injection and have the wound dressed following the incident on July 10.
It is understood that the “Iron Age” pig breed, which is a cross between a domestic pig and a wild boar, was originally bred in the 1970s as an experiment for a BBC documentary to create a prehistoric pig. They are now classed as a rare breed at several sites around the country.
The rewilding site on the country estate where the pigs are bred claims to offer a “corridor of untamed nature”. Rewilding involves leaving nature to grow itself and restoring older species to their native habitats.
The sow had recently had piglets and Mrs Shadbolt believes its aggressive behaviour was a result of it wanting to protect its offspring.
She said: “From the left came this huge black creature, which we thought was a rottweiler at first but then we realised it was one of the Iron Age pigs. It flew across the track and gouged my dog’s throat and the back of its leg – it was a relentless attack.”
Guidance for dog walkers in the Westacre estate’s rewilding area states that “livestock are untamed and with young” and visitors must stick to the paths, keeping a distance from the animals and putting their dogs on leads. But the possible danger posed by pigs freely roaming on the estate is not mentioned.
The couple claimed to have followed the advice, keeping both dogs on the lead when walking by the sow and her piglets which were hidden in “waist-length” grass.
‘Extremely distressing’
Alec Birkbeck, the owner of Westacre estate, said: “In an ideal world, the pig attack incident would not have happened and it is extremely distressing for all concerned.
“We are now monitoring her closely and we will not hold back from culling the animal if she shows any signs of further aggression.
“The pig had a litter of piglets and was, unfortunately, following her instincts when Mr Shadbolt and his dog walked past her. Pigs and dogs are not a good mix as dogs are evolutionary predators.”
Following the attack, the estate will end breeding in the designated rewilding areas open to the public and will “close the area to public access” if breeding does occur, Mr Birkbeck said.
Mrs Shadbolt said she was having sleepless nights since the attack and frequent nightmares where a “pig attacks and runs at her”.
She added: “Every time I close my eyes I just see that pig attacking and running at me and I may need to seek medical help.”
