Stan Brand, of Potter Street, Harlow, had taken his two three-year-old Jack Russells – sisters Poppy and Daisy – for their nightly walk at about 11.30pm last Tuesday when the attack happened.
"We hadn’t got far down Potter Street when this huge, muscular dog suddenly came from behind me and latched itself on to Poppy," he explained.
"Both my dogs were on leads so I was trying to pull them away whilst kicking at the other dog to get it off. Finally the owner appeared and managed to throw a rope over his dog’s neck.
"There was a lot of blood and it was obvious that Poppy was seriously injured, but he just ran off shouting ‘sorry mate, sorry mate’."
Mr Brand rushed Poppy to a vet who confirmed she had suffered two puncture wounds to her left side, including a punctured lung, three to her right side, a perforated liver and internal bleeding.
"The vets were amazed she was still alive with the injuries she had received," he said.
"They weren’t able to operate immediately because she was in such shock so she went into surgery the next morning – but unfortunately she died shortly after.
"The trauma had just been too much."
Mr Brand said that when he reported the incident to the police he was told there was not a lot they could do.
"Devastated is a mild way to describe how we feel at the moment," he added. "I hope the owner reads this article and learns just how much pain and hurt he has put us through.
"Poppy was the most sweet natured, beautiful dog and everyone who met her just fell in love with her. She died in the most violent and awful way, something neither she nor us deserved to go through.
"I don’t blame the dog at all, I blame the owners. The message we want to get across is that we are hurting because of this totally irresponsible and cowardly person.
"We would ask people to look out for this dog - which I think was a pit bull cross - and its owner. I also want to warn those out late at night in Potter Street to be careful as this animal is obviously dangerous.
"We don’t want money, we would just like the owner to come forward and show some remorse for what has happened."
A police spokeswoman said: "We are investigating to try to establish the owner of the other dog and whether any offences have occur-red under the Dangerous Dog Act."
Anyone with information should contact PC Rob Hance at Harlow police station on 101.
(Harlow Star - Sept 14, 2012)
