A killer dog that savaged a family’s pet spaniel to death has been put down, The Royal Gazette can confirm.

The news came after Cole Simons, a One Bermuda Alliance MP, said his family were heartbroken after their little spaniel was mauled by another dog.

Mr Simons found Venus, his 12-year-old King Charles spaniel, dead in his backyard — with blood visible and evidence of another dog in the area.

Mr Simons, who lives in Smith’s, said: “I didn’t see what happened. When I arrived home that evening, I just found my dog mauled in the back garden.”

Mr Simons lodged a complaint with the dog warden service and the environment department.

He said he had no idea who was responsible for the stray dog that carried out the attack. But neighbours told The Royal Gazette that they believed a dog owned by John Tomlinson, who lives near by, was responsible.

Mr Tomlinson, who in 2014 admitted charges in connection with a fatal dog attack, declined to comment on the mauling of Venus, which happened on Tuesday.

He said: “I have no comment on that. You might want to speak to dog wardens or someone like that.”

However, his wife, Sarah, later confirmed the dog, believed to be a boxer, was her husband’s and added: “The dog will be euthanised as soon as possible.”

It is believed the offending dog was put down this morning.

The attack on Venus came after Mr Simons called for the island’s dog legislation to be updated during the Budget debate on environment in the House of Assembly on Friday. Mr Simons said Bermuda’s dog legislation needed to be updated “to address these types of concerns and issues”. He told MPs: “When I was in that seat I made that issue a priority. Legislation was drafted … I am still confused as to why it has yet to come to this House, ten years later.

“Is there a will to bring it to this House? We have to get this done as quickly as possible because it’s causing anxiety for the staff in the ministry, dog owners, and the animals themselves.”

He added: “We have an enforcement issue with regulations being made and complaints that the inspectors are being partial.

“And I’m saying this because if we had the regulations tied down, there would be no discretion allowed. And everyone’s interests would be protected, including the department’s.

“I am rising today to make sure that this is a top priority.”

Mr Simons added that it was “not good enough” to be operating under a 40-year-old Act.

He said: “We have taken advice from the canine community, from vets, and other people in the industry. And yet we are where we are today. This is not acceptable.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources confirmed yesterday that a formal complaint had been received.

She added that the incident was being investigated.

• UPDATE: this article has been updated to confirm that the offending dog was euthanised this morning