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Elderly woman's dog killed after it got trapped and dragged along train platform

A disabled passenger’s pet dog died after his lead allegedly became trapped in a train’s doors while the elderly woman struggled to load her luggage.

Retired 75-year-old nurse Rose Barry boarded a train with eight-year-old shih tzu Jonty last Friday afternoon to visit her daughter.

But the woman, who has back problems and cannot walk long distances, claims the doors closed on her hand and Jonty’s lead while she was still on the platform after struggling to load her luggage and walker onto the service without assistance.

Rose Barrys dog Jonty died after his lead was caught in train doors and dragged while the disabled passenger struggled to load luggage.
Rose Barry’s dog Jonty was found dead after his lead allegedly became caught between the train doors while the disabled passenger was struggling to load her luggage. Source: Caters

The devastated woman, from Borehamwood, Herts, near London, claims she was left screaming for help as Jonty was dragged away along the platform and onto the tracks by the train, but said still no one came to her aid.

After a heartbreaking eight hours waiting anxiously for news of the search for her beloved pet, officials from rail company Thameslink told the pensioner Jonty’s dead body had been found in the tunnel.

“What happened was terrible, and every night when I close my eyes Jonty’s image comes back to me,” she said.

No assistance for the struggling passenger

Ms Barry said she had been catching the train for the past 20 years and did everything correctly when she boarded the train, but her disability slowed her down and she visibly needed extra help.

“As the train arrived, I waited to get onto the disabled carriage. But to my horror, I found the step was so high it was a struggle to get in on my own, and there was no guard on the platform,” she said.

“I had my folding walker and my bag, and was holding Jonty on a short leash … I managed to put my bag on board, and had turned around to pick up Jonty when the doors suddenly closed, trapping Jonty’s lead.

Rose Barrys dog Jonty died after his lead was caught in train doors and dragged while the disabled passenger struggled to load luggage.
The body of Rose Barry’s eight-year-old shih tzu Jonty was later found in a train tunnel. Source: Caters

“My hand got caught, but as I managed to pull it free I realised Jonty was still attached to the doors and was being dragged along the platform by the lead.

“I immediately started screaming and hammering on the doors, hoping there was someone on board or on the platform who could release them. But there was no reaction from anyone in the train – neither staff, nor passengers. I don’t think anyone even saw the incident.

“I could see Jonty dangling from the carriage into the gap between the platform and the rails, but I realised even if the driver had looked out of the window he wouldn’t have seen him, or me, because of the curve in the tracks.”

Ms Barry said she rushed back to the station buildings distressed, shouting about how Jonty had been caught up in the train, but claims staff was slow to offer assistance.

“I later found out the controllers can slow down or stop the train if alerted but clearly they couldn’t have seen me – despite the CCTV cameras.

“Perhaps if it had been a child who had got caught, things would have been different.”

Pensioner calls for extra help for disabled commuters

The retiree, who travels on the train service at least once a week, is now calling for a change in policy to provide more assistance for disabled passengers.

Ms Barry is demanding more assistance on the platform and on trains for disabled passengers, to avoid similar tragedies in future.

“It was a Friday afternoon at 2pm – the time everyone should have been travelling – but there were no station guards or anyone else at all at the station,” she said.

“There should be more assistance, especially for disabled people such as myself.

“I am so angry my dearest little dog, my companion, was caught up in this.

“Jonty needn’t have died if there had been assistance and easier access for me, and I don’t want his death to be in vain.”

Last month an elderly Melbourne passenger called for increased assistance at airports after her handbag was stolen at a security checkpoint.