Bermuda: Owner devastated after her Dachshund is mauled to death by neighbor's Boxer

BERMUDA -- A woman has spoken of her devastation after one of her dogs was mauled to death in an attack by a neighbor’s boxer.

Amy Ponnampalam’s dachshund Annie was killed and her other dachshund Briea was critically injured as a result of the attack last Wednesday.

The male boxer has been seized by the authorities and its owners, John and Sarah Tomlinson, are under investigation by the government’s animal warden. The fencing on their property was not functioning, which enabled their three boxers to trespass on to Ms Ponnampalam’s Smith’s property. One of the two male boxers is believed to have carried out the attack.

The other two boxers have been given an absolute discharge while the male boxer in question continues to be held pending the construction of an enclosure around the owners’ Smith’s property as recommended by the Department of Environmental Protection. It is unclear whether the animal could be euthanized as a result of the attack.

Ms Ponnampalam told The Royal Gazette: “I was devastated when I received the call, I couldn’t talk — I was just beside myself. I believe, as do my neighbours, that the dog is a threat to the community. This could have been a child.”

Ms Ponnampalam was at work last Wednesday when she received a call from Endsmeet Animal Hospital informing her of the attack. A neighbour saw the boxer mauling the second dog and shooed it away but arrived too late on the scene to save Annie. Endsmeet arrived to give medical attention to the surviving dachshund, Briea.

As a result of the attack, Briea sustained a deep bite wound to her groin which has caused bleeding from her arteries and she has trauma and bruising to her rib cage. She also injured a tooth but is too weak to undergo surgery to repair it at present. Ms Ponnampalam was advised by Endsmeet staff not to view the body of Annie.

According to the Dogs Act 2008, a person who keeps a dog commits an offence if the dog causes death or injury to a person, or the animal strays off the property of the keeper. Ms Ponnampalam has sent a statement to the animal warden and is working on a legal case against the boxers’ owners.

Mr Tomlinson confirmed that the electric fence was not working adequately. He sent a message to Ms Ponnampalam saying: “We are overwhelmed with sadness that we have been a part of something that has caused you such terrible grief. As dog owners like you we empathise with the love you have for your dogs. Please note that we are thinking of you constantly and if there’s anything we can do to support you at this time please just reach out.”

Ms Ponnampalam said her dog Briea is back home and has started to venture back out into the garden. “She is healing but subdued and clearly puzzled as to where her companion is,” she said.
Ms Ponnampalam described Annie as, “sweet-natured and loving”.

“She was the sweetest dog. She was a beautiful animal both outwardly and inwardly. Outwardly, she had lovely long hair and was very pretty and inwardly she was just so sweet. She was very soppy and very protective of us — Annie was always our protector even though she was so little she would always protect the house. I think that is maybe what happened — she took the brunt of the attack because she always stood up for Briea.

“It’s just been me and these two dogs for years and I will miss her terribly now she is gone. Briea and Annie were inseparable. Briea has never known her life without Annie. It’s so sad and painful to think how she lost her life, it’s quite horrific.”

(Royal Gazette  - Nov 26, 2014)