United Kingdom: Savage attack as pet pooch is mauled by greyhound in Dumfries street

UNITED KINGDOM -- A tiny dog was seriously injured by a greyhound during a savage attack in a Dumfries street.

Traumatised Shitz tzu Vinney needed veterinary treatment after Saturday morning’s onslaught.

Devastated owner Julia Howat was also taken to hospital after being bitten twice trying to “prise open” the greyhound’s jaws to free her pet .

The 43-year-old had been walking her dog along Glasgow Street around 11am when the incident took place.

As they approached Lochthorn Medical Centre, a man was walking towards them with two greyhounds.

Mrs Howat said: “He was about to cross at the roundabout but I could see he was struggling to hold onto the leads. The next thing I knew one had escaped his grasp and the other slipped its collar and came right for Vinney, who was thrown into the air. It was a nightmare.”

Mrs Howat said the man grabbed hold of the dog that still had its lead on but couldn’t help her save three-year-old Vinney from the clutches of the other.

She said: “It had Vinney between its teeth and I was screaming at him to help me but he said he couldn’t or the other dog would get free again. I was down on the ground trying to get Vinney out from between its teeth.

“I honestly thought at one point that Vinney was dead because he just lay still.”

Two women who witnessed the incident stopped their car to help. One held the lead of the other dog so that the man could finally help Mrs Howat. She added: “If it hadn’t been for those two women, Vinney would have been killed.”

One of the women took Vinney to the vet and then drove Mrs Howat to Dumfries Infirmary.

Neither of them have recovered from their ordeal yet. She said: “Vinney’s whole body is a mess. He has bite and claw marks across his back and stomach.

“The woman who stayed at the scene said she’d get the man’s details but nobody has been in touch with police so we don’t know who he is. I’d urge the woman to let police know if he did give his details, or if he refused to.

“We need to find out who he is because the next time, this could happen to a child.”

Constable Ruairidh Matthews at Dumfries said: “This was a particularly vicious attack. We ask anyone who may have been in the area and saw anything to call us on 101.”

(Scottish Daily Record - June 15, 2016)