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Brave Sidney's vet warns 'smaller dog would not have survived' attack
A HORRIFIED couple have told how they put their lives on the line to rescue their pet from a vicious attack by another dog.
Gwen and John Fraser were enjoying a walk with Dalmatian Sidney and pointer Alice when an akita-husky cross approached them.
Gwen, 61, said: “The other dog jumped on Sidney’s back and sank its teeth into the skin of his shoulders and was shaking him from side to side.
“I was kicking the dog and trying to beat it off but it was too heavy for me. I thought it was going to be fatal to be honest because of the way it was positioned and attacking my dog.
“Sidney tried to defend himself but the other dog just pinned him down on the ground.”
Some passers-by intervened in a bid to try to bring the dog under control, but the damage to seven-year-old Sidney’s upper limbs and shoulders had already been done.
Following the weekend incident on Limpsfield Common, Surrey, Gwen and John rushed Sidney to Vets Now in Caterham, where he was kept overnight.
Emergency and critical care vets performed surgery to repair the damage.
The following morning Sidney was transferred to his daytime vet, the Darwin Veterinary Centre in Westerham.
Sonia Miller-Smith, the centre’s head vet, described the attack as “horrific” and said she had “no doubts it would have killed a smaller dog”.
Gwen and John reported the attack to Surrey Police who said they had agreed on a set of “dog control measures” with the other dog’s owner.
These included keeping it muzzled in a public place and ensuring that it’s always under the care of an adult when outside. The dog has also been banned from going near any schools.
Dog on dog attacks are a regular cause of emergency admissions in Vets Now clinics and hospitals.
Speaking about Sidney’s treatment, John said: “Your vets did a smashing job. There is more muscle damage than we first suspected but, thankfully, he’s on the mend now.”
People can be fined and sent to prison for up to six months if their dog is dangerously out of control. They may also be banned from owning dogs in future.
The law states that dogs are considered dangerously out of control if they injure someone or worry someone enough to fear they may be injured.
However, a court may also decide the law applies if a dog attacks another animal.
Vets Now is open through the night, seven-days-a-week, and day and night on weekends and bank holidays, to treat any pet emergencies that may occur.