A council estate resident whose dogs are alleged to have been involved in a series of vicious attacks in Battersea, has been threatened with legal action if she does not voluntarily remove them and agree not to keep dogs in the future.

The woman, who is not being named for legal reasons, has been warned that unless she complies with the ban, the council will take out an injunction preventing her from keeping dogs whilst she remains a resident on the estate.

A Wandsworth Council spokesman said: “The council's intervention comes after complaints that her dogs attacked two other family pets in the area, killing one of them, and also bit that dog's owner. Local police are actively investigating these incidents.

“As a result the resident is being given seven days to provide a written undertaking that she is willing to comply with the ban.”

“If the woman does not provide this written undertaking, the council will institute proceedings in the county court to seek an injunction. If successful, the council's lawyers will urge the court to issue an order requiring her to pay the council's legal costs.”

The council's housing spokesman, Councillor Martin D Johnson, said: “Any dog owner living on one of our housing estates should be under no illusion about the legal sanctions they could face if their dog causes problems.”