Gerard Butler involved in dog dispute

  Eyewitness News

QUEENS (WABC) -- Actor Gerard Butler is caught in a doggie dispute in Queens.

A couple has filed a police report, saying he hit their greyhound. But Butler says he was merely separating the dog from his own pug.

In the movie "300", King Leonidas and his men take on an army of more than one million Persian soldiers. Off screen, Gerard Butler is dealing with a battle of a different sort. The actor and his pug, Lolita, squaring off against Fred Varecka and his greyhound May Fly.

"He's in damage control mode right now to try and protect his image," said Fred Varecka, owner of the greyhounds.

They noticed movie crews and Lolita, wandering on the sidewalk.

He says May Fly and Lolita touched noses and then,

"My dog lunged at the pug and barked but my wife had good control of the dogs," adds Varecka.

Fred looked up and just like a scene out of "300", he says Butler was ready for war repeatedly screaming.

Varecka adds, "You've got to put that dog down and me and my wife said to Gerard Butler, how about putting your dog on a leash."

Butler picked up Lolita and walked away, Fred followed in the same direction, he then maintains Butler lashed out at May Fly.

"In a matter of seconds he slapped the dogs face, dog went flying up against the fence," he said.

Butler tells a different story, a spokesperson saying "A larger greyhound repeatedly attacked Gerard's small pug, so he separated them to protect both dogs..."

Someone from Butler's camp adding May Fly bit Lolita several times, although when asked for pictures or a vet bill, they refused.

Fred insists the bite never happened and that he isn't looking for money from the actor, says an apology would be nice.

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