Pet owner traumatised after beloved Maltalier was mauled by a vicious dog in Adelaide’s western suburbs

The Croydon woman says the unrestrained staffy-cross attacked without warning while she was walking 13-year-old Lulu.

A traumatised dog owner said she hasn’t slept after she was forced to euthanise her beloved Maltalier when it suffered horrific injuries in a vicious attack by another dog in Adelaide’s western-suburbs.

Annette Vermeer said she was out on a walk with her 13-year-old dog Lulu on Wednesday morning at Croydon when an off-leash dog described as a staffy-cross with a golden coat mauled her.

Ms Vermeer said she turned to see the other dog “flying, launching at us” before it grabbed Lulu and “slammed her to the ground”.

13-year-old Maltalier, Lulu was euthanised after being mauled by another dog at a public park in Croydon. Picture: 7News Adelaide.

“Lulu was trying to get up on my leg and he grabbed her and just wouldn’t let go,” she said.

“I couldn’t do anything, I tried with all my heart to get him off of her but I just couldn’t, he just had his jaws locked on her.

“I’ve never hurt an animal but I was doing all that I can, but I was so scared that if I pulled too hard, he was gonna rip her (Lulu) in half.

“And she was screaming and then all of a sudden she stopped, and I knew then that we were in serious trouble.

“She never barked, never complained, never did anything. She is (was) just a happy little thing.”

Lulu suffered horrific injuries from the attack, including a punctured lung, broken jaw and ribs, as well as a bleed on the brain.

A devastated Adelaide dog owner is calling for the handler of a vicious staffy-cross to come forward after watching her beloved pet Lulu be mauled to death. The attacking dog and its owner fled the Croydon park without exchanging details. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/MuHeJgfFqO

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) June 12, 2025

Owner, Annette Vermeer says the offending dog's owner left without an apology or exchanging details. Picture: 7News Adelaide.

Ms Vermeer said she rushed Lulu to an emergency medical vet, where she was told the most humane course of action was to euthanise her.

After the attack occurred, she said the owner of the offending dog refused to give an apology or exchange details before leaving the area.

One witness spoke to 7News anonymously, and said she overheard Ms Vermeer asking for the offending dog owners details, which he was refusing to give.

13-year-old Maltalier, Lulu was euthanised after being mauled by another dog at a public park in Croydon. Picture: 7News Adelaide.

“I could hear him — she was asking what his name was — and he said, ‘I’m not giving you my name, I don’t have to’,” she said.

Ms Vermeer said she now wants to find the owner out of fear that his dog will attack other animals, or children.

“This dog needs to be taken off the streets,” she said.

“I would hate to think that any other dog owner would have to go through this — and what if it were a child?

“I will find you, and I will make sure that no other owner has to go through what I’ve actually had to witness and what my poor other dogs have had to witness. They’re traumatised as well.”

She described the man as tall, slim build, in his early to mid-20s and with southern European background.

Since the incident, Ms Vermeer said the local council had been proactively seeking the other dog owner, dropping notices in letter boxes and knocking on doors.

Charles Sturt Council chief executive Paul Sutton said an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

“We encourage our community to immediately report any dog attacks to us,” he said.

“We have a range of programs and initiatives in place to promote responsible dog ownership in our community.”

Originally published as Pet owner traumatised after beloved Maltalier was mauled by a vicious dog in Adelaide’s western suburbs