A SECOND awareness day is to be held as part of a major campaign aiming to cut the risk of dog attacks.

Dog owners will be able to get advice on looking after dogs and practical help such as free micro-chipping at the event at in Leigh this Sunday, December 15.

The awareness day is part of Jade’s Campaign, which was launched following the death of Jade Lomas-Anderson, the 14-year-old mauled to death in March by a pack of dogs in Hag Fold, Atherton.

Donna Hall, chief executive of Wigan Council, said: “The first awareness day in September was a tremendous success and I’m sure the second event will be equally successful.

“The message we want people to understand is that if a dog isn’t cared for properly they can potentially become dangerous. A quarter of a million people were attacked by dogs last year.

“We think this could be significantly reduced if people took better care of their dogs. That means making sure they get plenty of exercise and food, are kept in an appropriate environment and have clear behaviour boundaries.

“Some owners might have difficulty controlling their pet. We want to help them by offering advice and support. We hope this will stop problems arising. We’re also hoping to encourage members of the public to come forward if they think an owner is mistreating a dog or a dog is becoming dangerous. This information could be vital in preventing further attacks.”

The event will start at 12pm in the car park at Pennington Flash Country Park – a popular dog-walking area and is due to finish at 4pm.

Blue Cross will be offering free micro-chipping while dog owners will be able to get other tips and advice on being a responsible dog owner.