UNITED KINGDOM -- A beloved pet dog has been left fighting for its life after being savaged by a Japanese Akita.
The four-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, called Ellie, was left bleeding heavily from eight wounds on her neck and body following the attack.
Harley Widdowson, 14, was walking the dog for her ill grandmother Grace, on a grass verge near Mulberry Walk around 5pm on Thursday when the Akita, which was not on a lead, charged at them.
Harley suffered a bite on her hand while trying to rescue Ellie and received a tetanus jab and bandages at Blackburn Royal Hospital.
Mrs Widdowson, 52, said: “Its’ owner couldn’t control his dog and was shouting at Harley ‘pick up your... dog’ while his Akita was mauling Ellie.
“Harley picked her up and ran back to the house. When they got back there was blood all over the hallway, it was horrific. I was in shock.”
The family rushed their pet to Town and Country Vets in King Street, in Blackburn, where she underwent a two-and-a-half hour operation and received 40 stitches.
Ellie was visibly traumatised after the incident and operation, whimpering and cowering in the family home.
Mrs Widdowson said: “I’ve not slept, I laid on the floor with Ellie all night, I couldn’t leave her alone as she was, she’s my baby.
“I think the Akita should be kept on a lead and muzzled. It isn’t the first time the dog owner has been involved in incidents like this, he is quite notorious on our road, but this is the worst time.
“I’m scared this might happen to someone else’s pet and they might not be so lucky.
“If Ellie hadn’t have rescued her and the vet couldn’t have seen to her, it could have been so much worse.”
Lancashire Constabulary interviewed Harley yesterday (Friday) and have passed the incident on to Blackburn with Darwen Council’s dog warden to investigate.
(This Is Lancashire - Dec 8, 2012)
