Care dog in training mauled to death at Gold Coast dog park

A tiny puppy that was being trained to act as a support dog in aged care homes has been mauled to death in a confronting attack by a larger dog at a Gold Coast dog park.

A five-month-old puppy training to be an aged care home support dog has been mauled to death at a Gold Coast dog park in a confronting attack that left her owner devastated.

Honey, a King Charles spaniel, was attacked while in a securely fenced off-leash area at the Hinterland Regional Park on Hardy Rd, Mudgeeraba, about 5.30pm Tuesday.

Five-month-old King Charles spaniel Honey was mauled to death in a horrific attack on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied.

Honey’s owner Ashleigh McDonald was left devastated by the attack, which left the puppy with extensive internal injuries.

“They’d gone down to the park to practise Honey’s recall and it was completely empty when they arrived at the park, so Ashleigh felt comfortable having her off lead,” Ashleigh’s father Michael McDonald said.

“Another person came with their dog off lead and Ashleigh said she felt a bit uncomfortable with their dog, but the owners kept saying it was OK.”

Mr McDonald said his daughter had tried to pick Honey up when the other people entered the park, but was unable to protect her pooch.

Five-month-old Honey was mauled to death at a Gold Coast dog park on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied.

Ashleigh told authorities the attacking dog was a large white dog with dark spots, possibly a Bull Arab, and it bit Honey around the torso, leaving the puppy with a crushed chest and punctured lungs.

“The owners were saying that they were sure Honey was okay and not really injured, but she clearly was so Ashleigh called her mother and they went to the emergency vet but Honey died as they pulled into the driveway,” Mr McDonald said.

“To go through that must’ve been very confronting.”

Honey had already undertaken a visit to an aged care home with her owner, Ashleigh. Picture: supplied.

A Gold Coast Council spokeswoman confirmed the council was investigating the incident.

“We’ve made a report and I want to say how good council has been,” Mr McDonald said.

“It’s so important people know what their dogs are capable of, particularly if you’re going to an off-leash area where you need to be able to control your dog all the time.”

“Maybe we need to be looking at ways where we can guarantee that these sorts of dogs don’t mix with others.”

The council spokeswoman was unable to confirm what action would be taken against the dog responsible, or if it had been identified, but did say there had been one other attack at the Hardy’s Road dog park in the past 12 months.