UNITED KINGDOM -- A six-year-old watched in horror as her pet Chihuahua was mauled to death by a Boxer while the dog's owner looked on.
Evie Honeyman, of Eston, was walking her dog, Rolo, near her home on Tawney Road, Eston, near Middlesbrough, with her grandmother Winifred Honeyman when the attack happened.
Evie was unhurt during the attack, despite being knocked over by the Boxer as she was tangled up in Rolo’s lead.
Her grandmother needed hospital treatment after her hand was savaged when she tried to save Rolo from the Boxer's jaws.
The Boxer, which was not on a lead, picked the Chihuahua up in its mouth while 68-year-old Mrs Honeyman screamed at its owner to help just before 11am on Saturday, January 5.
Evie’s mother Julie Honeyman, who bought her daughter the dog for Christmas two years ago, said: “I wasn’t there but they were only about ten yards away from the house and there were two men talking.
“As they walked Evie had Rolo on the lead and this dog just bounded over and started attacking him.
“She was knocked down and my mam picked her up straightaway– otherwise the dog might have attacked her too.
“The Boxer had Rolo in his mouth and was swinging him from side to side. The owner did nothing, he just stood there and watched – he didn’t even come over. It was like it was a sport to him, even though my daughter was watching the whole thing.
“He only came over when a man came over to help my mam, because she was injured. Then he just walked off.”
Miss Honeyman took Rolo to the vet with her mother. She said: “It was awful to watch him. He was struggling to breathe and in a lot of pain. When we got to the vet they said it would be kinder to have him put down because he wouldn’t survive with his injuries.
“My daughter is so upset. She loved Rolo and I think she will be traumatised for life.
“I want this man brought to justice and the dog put down because next time it could be a child. He must be sick, to have not even tried to call his dog off or put it on a lead when a six-year-old was there and so upset.”
PC Mike Pilbeam, of Cleveland Police, said: “This was an extremely nasty attack, resulting in the death of a dog, an injury to an elderly lady and was a traumatic experience for the young girl to witness.
“Thankfully the child was unhurt in the incident, but it is important that we find this dog to prevent the risk of any child being attacked and to prevent any more attacks on dogs”
Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Mike Pilbeam on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
(Darlington and Stockton Times - Jan 6, 2013)
