Warning to swimmers and dog-owners after pet pooch seriously injured in shark attack at The Spit, Mosman

SHORN the labradoodle was chasing a stick in the waters of The Spit when he suddenly went under. His owner soon realised something was wrong.

Martine McCormac-Taylor and Shorn at Spit West Reserve in Mosman. Picture: Annika Enderborg

A DOG owner has warned of potentially deadly sharks cruising The Spit after her pet was recently attacked.

The attack on Martine McCormac-Taylor’s labradoodle Shorn occurred near Pearl Bay houseboats in murky waters off Spit Reserve West in Mosman one morning in early February.

Mrs McCormac-Taylor said Shorn, 8, loved the water and he was no further than five metres out when he swam to retrieve the stick she had thrown.

The attack occurred in Pearl Bay, just off The Spit Reserve West.

“I’ve seen kids swim out further than that,” Mrs McCormac-Taylor said.

“Shorn got pulled under, he resurfaced and swam back to shore. He had dropped his stick.

“When he stood up in the water, he was shaking his back leg and you could see he was distressed.

“It wasn’t until he got out that I could see his back left leg was gushing with blood.”

“It was a big gash. You could see the bone and everything, it was nasty.”

Shorn is pictured swimming moments before the attack.

Mrs McCormac-Taylor feared that another dog might be injured on what she thought was a piece of sharp metal in the water.

But when she ran to retrieve it, she found the shiny object was an empty packet of chips.

That’s when Mrs McCormac-Taylor first suspected a shark and said she “moonwalked” out of the water, fast.

She applied a makeshift tourniquet to Shorn’s leg and rushed him to the vet.

Mrs McCormac-Taylor said the vet was adamant a shark caused the gaping wound.

The attack left Shorn with a gaping wound to his paw.

His owner applied a makeshift tourniquet before he was rushed to the vet.

“You could see three or four clear teeth marks on the other side of the leg,” she said. “The vet said the only explanation of this wound was a shark bite.”

Mrs McCormac-Taylor now only allows Shorn to swim in clear, shallow water.

A Department of Primary Industries spokeswoman said there have been seven unprovoked shark attacks in Sydney Harbour since 1964.

The department spokeswoman said a variety of shark species frequented the waters of The Spit but there was no evidence to suggest it was more dangerous than any other area of the harbour.

Shorn’s vet said the only explanation for his injury was a shark attack.

“While there is no 100 per cent guarantee when using our waterways, there are ways in which you can minimise your risk of encountering a shark.

“If people see a shark and it poses a direct threat to water users, please call 000,” the spokeswoman advised.

Mosman Veterinary Hospital director Rachele Lowe said bull sharks had a history of attacking humans and animals such as dogs.

“I would consider it exceedingly rare, but I think this recent incident is a reminder to us all that we do share the harbour with other species,” she said.

Shorn has bounced back to full health but is now only allowed to swim in shallow water.