Claire Bell, of Postern Road, Tatenhill, said her border terrier, Bertie, was mauled by the German shepherds as she walked him on the lead along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath.
“I was walking towards Shobnall footbridge and the next thing a German shepherd came from the rear and straddled my dog,” she said.
“I was worried because I thought ‘this is trouble’. I know dogs and I know threatening behaviour. This was a dog running loose.”
When the Alsatian attacked her nine-year-old dog, the retired senior medical secretary started screaming.
“Another German shepherd appeared, knocked me to the ground to get to my dog and then both German shepherds started dragging my dog,” Mrs Bell said.
“They grabbed hold of him and tried to tear him apart. It was absolutely horrifying.
“They then pinned him to the ground and went in for the kill. I was screaming. I remember kicking at the dogs. I was terrified.
“Then the owner appeared and he eventually got them off. My dog was just lying there. I thought he was lifeless.
“It was a very traumatic experience.”
Mrs Bell, whose pet was attacked at 1.15pm on Monday, said the Alsatians’ owner, who had shouted one of his dogs, grabbed his animals and ran off towards Shobnall.
Mrs Bell took Bertie to Springwood Veterinary Surgery, in Spring Terrace Road, Stapenhill, where a vet said the animal, who suffered injuries to his chest, stomach and genital area, was ‘lucky’ to survive.
The dog, who underwent a triple pelvic fracture after a road accident six years ago, is now on medication and recovering at home.
Mrs Bell, who suffered bites to a finger and one of her hands, which required a tetanus injection, remains shaken.
“I want to warn other people,” she said. “If this man continues to exercise his German shepherds off the lead, they are likely to do it to someone else.
“They will kill a dog.” Sergeant Bob Champeau, based at Burton Police Station, said the Alsatians were similar to the breed of two dogs which had killed sheep earlier the same day in Anslow.
He said officers believed they had identified the dogs’ owner and had launched a criminal investigation with a view to possible prosecution.
“Where the public or other dogs are put in danger we will always try to identify the dogs’ owners and work with our partners at East Staffordshire Borough Council to try to take appropriate action wherever we can,” he said.
(Burton Mail - May 3, 2012)
