THE owner of a dog sent berserk by the wind spoke of his relief after his pet was spared death.

Muppett was seized after he and another dog bit four people during Storm Doris last February.

5 Jeffrey Penfold said he was relieved when his pup Muppett was spared death Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

But owner Jeffrey Penfold, 48, said of his “placid” Staffie-cross: “He really isn’t that kind of dog.

“It was the storm that frightened him. The wind was quite tempestuous and there was a lot of debris out.

"It was dustbin day. There was cr*p everywhere.”

Four people needed medical treatment after Muppett fled the family home in Duston, Northampton.

5 Muppett got frightened during Storm Doris and ran from the family home Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

5 Jeffrey said he refused to sign a civil destruction order and Muppett came home ten months later Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

5 Police admitted that the dog attack was 'out of character' Credit: PA:Press Association

Another dog, Phoebe, was shot dead by police.

Dad-of-four Jeffrey refused to sign a civil destruction order and he was returned home ten months later.

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5 Muppett now has to wear a muzzle when he leaves the house Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

But the two-year-old still faced death until Thursday when Northants Police agreed the attack was “out of character”.

He must instead be secured and muzzled in public, Wellingborough magistrates ruled.

Security firm boss Jeffrey said: “I’m grateful. He doesn’t deserve to die.”

Gust and gory EX-POLICE dog handler turned pet behaviour expert David Ryan said it was possible for dogs to become crazed during storms. He said: “Dogs can react strangely because they don’t understand what is going on. “They are not angry, they are scared. "It becomes a case of fight or flight and people in the way get bitten.”