Last updated at 12:52, Monday, 13 August 2012

A PUPPY suffered “horrific” injuries when it was mauled in the street by an out of control dog not on a lead.

PUPPY LOVE: Twelve-week-old Siberian husky Anya recovering with Gracie Mansell, aged two

Claire Louise Park was walking her Siberian husky, Anya, with daughters Megan, 11, and Gracie, two, and son Jack, 10.

Megan’s 10-year-old friend had Anya on a lead when the 12-week-old pup was attacked by another dog in Schneider Road, Barrow.

The husky suffered a dislocated hip, several puncture wounds and a perforated stomach.

Miss Park, 31, feared for her pet’s life and was grateful to two motorists who pulled over and wrestled the offending dog off Anya.

One of the men suffered a bite to his hand.

Describing the attack, which happened at around noon on Monday, Miss Park said: “It just came straight over and grabbed the dog and started ragging it. It didn’t bark or anything – I didn’t even see it coming.

“I panicked like hell and was screaming.”

Anya was taken to Grove Vets in Barrow and released later that day after assessment.

Miss Park said the puppy is getting better, but has been told to keep her in a cage for six to eight weeks to ensure minimal movement to aid recovery.

The mum-of-three, of Low Moor Terrace, Ormsgill, regrets her children saw the attack on their first family pet, but blames the offending canine’s owner – not the dog, which she believes was a Staffordshire bull terrier cross. The Evening Mail understands the dog was taken away by its owner after the incident.

She said: “The children were all over the place and had to stand there watching it.

“It was horrible for me and I’m a grown adult, so I can only imagine what it was like for them.

“I blame the owners, not the dogs. If they were looked after right, they wouldn’t act like that.”

Police are investigating and PC Jenna Birbeck said: “While such attacks are rare, unfortunately they do happen and something like this could have been easily prevented.

“Instead, there is a young dog which has suffered horrific injuries and the dog (which attacked Anya) faces an uncertain future.”

A spokeswoman for Cumbria police said the owner of the attacking dog had told officers she intended to have it destroyed.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101.

First published at 13:05, Sunday, 12 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk