Family pooch put down after dog attack in Sunbury
When two young Sunbury brothers took their pet whippet to the park for an early-morning play, they weren’t to know the horror that was to unfold. Out of nowhere, an unrestrained dog attacked, and its owner left the little canine for dead.
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Two young brothers have been forced to carry their dying pooch home after it was mauled by another dog at a Sunbury park.
Michelle Bracken said the family was forced to put Oscar the whippet down after he was violently shaken and bitten by a “big, black dog”.
“I could hear (my son) screaming as he was approaching the house,” she told the Leader.
The two boys were playing at Eric Boardman Reserve last Sunday morning when the attack occurred.
“The dog came running and grabbed at Oscar and shook him,” Ms Bracken said.
She said a lady, who appeared to be the animal’s owner, came running after it, quickly apologised, and left the two boys alone in the park.
Ms Bracken said Oscar suffered three deep, open flesh wounds and was allegedly shaken “violently” by the bigger dog.
“(Oscar had) three really nasty gashes on his neck,” she said.
The family made the difficult decision to put the pooch down after advice from a vet.
“He was in a lot of pain,” Ms Bracken said.
“The vet said we didn’t know the extent of the damage. He’d been shaken pretty violently.”
Ms Bracken said it “scared her” to think the dog was still out there.
“As devastating as it was that it was my dog, it could’ve been a child,” she said.
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“It happened so quick that the dog wouldn’t have been able to figure out what it was attacking. It could’ve been a bird, a kid or a dog.”
Despite the tragic incident, Ms Bracken said she didn’t want people out walking their dogs to be targeted online.
After posting her story to social media, she’d been met by a huge response.
“The response has been incredible. It feels a bit like a community embrace,” she said.
Hume Council corporate services director Daryl Whitfort confirmed the incident had been reported and urged dog owners to make sure their pets were on a leash.
Designated off-leash dog areas around Sunbury are marked by signs.
“It is vital that all dog owners ensure their dogs are always on a lead when not in areas clearly marked as off leash and under effective control in off leash areas,” he said.
“Not adhering to these rules is illegal, extremely irresponsible and sadly can cause serious injury.”
To report a dog attack, call Hume Council on 9205 2200 outside business hours.
MY DOG HAS BEEN ATTACKED, WHAT DO I DO?
Sunbury Animal Hospital lead vet Dr Emma Armstead said there were a number of things to watch for after a dog attack.
“The most important thing is that you don’t try and get in between the dogs,” she said.
“They’re at a heightened state and can easily transfer aggression without realising.”
Dr Armstead said once the dogs had calmed down, owners should give them a check-up.
“See if there is any obvious bleeding or limping, any breathing difficulties,” she said.
“If any of these signs are present, they need to get to a vet as soon as possible.”
Because some signs are less obvious than others – wounds hidden under thick fur or bruising – Dr Armstead recommended calling a vet to organise a check-up to be on the safe side.