Laura Curd, 49, described how the dogs were in a frenzy as they mauled her pet, Willow.
The animals were “like a pack of hyenas” as they ripped at Willow’s head, throat and legs. If she had not been wearing a dog coat she would have been killed, said Mrs Curd.
The bank worker was walking Willow in Gunpowder Park in Waltham Abbey, Essex, when five dogs — all without leads and collars — launched the attack.
“They surrounded her like a pack of hyenas, tearing her to shreds in a frenzy,” said Mrs Curd. “I was hysterical and screaming. It seemed to go on forever and I thought they were going to kill her. At one point one of the Staffs grabbed my hand in its jaws and they were going at my legs.
“The owner ran over and tried to beat off his dogs, but all five were ripping Willow to bits. As he would remove one, another dived in.
“The man scooped my dog up from the ground by the hind legs to try and get her away from his bull terriers, but as he did so, one was hanging from her head with its jaws and another was hanging from her leg.”
The man finally managed to beat his dogs away, and handed Willow to Mrs Curd. She shouted at him to go away and he walked off. She and her pet were left traumatised. Willow needed a four-hour operation on 16 wounds, requiring 70 stitches. The treatment cost £3,000.
Mrs Curd said the vet told her that “if it wasn’t for her dog jacket, Willow would have been killed”, because the bull terriers had ripped Willow’s skull and throat, but the garment had kept her body intact.
After Mrs Curd had taken her dog to the vet she went to hospital, where she was treated for shock, punctured fingers and bruised arms. She is off work with stress and said: “I’ve been mugged at knifepoint before but this is much worse, it’s completely floored me.
“My life has come to a standstill, and I can’t believe the owner is still out there — what if those dogs come across a child? The sad thing is we moved specifically to the area for the beautiful park to walk our dog in, and now I can’t even set foot in it.”
Epping police are investigating the attack, which took place at 7am on October 1, but no arrests have been made. A spokeswoman said: “Inquiries continue.”
Last October Gloria Knowles, 71, was killed by four dogs at her daughter’s home in Morden. In April last year a pregnant woman was mauled by a Japanese Akita as she tried to protect her pet in Collier's Wood.
(Evening Standard - Oct 14, 2013)
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