Puppy rushed to vet after brutal attack at a popular Darwin beach

Warning: Graphic. A family’s precious puppy suffered severe injuries after an out-of-control German Shepherd’s brutal attack on a popular Top End beach. See the photos of the injuries here.

A vicious dog attack in Darwin’s northern suburbs has left a one-year-old puppy with horrific lacerations and sparked a conversation for stronger dog regulations.

The 31-year-old pregnant owner, who didn’t want to be named, said she thought her Dane x Wolfhound, Memphis, was going to die when an off-lead German Shepherd latched onto his neck at Casuarina Beach about 10.30am Sunday.

“My dog is extremely lucky that his breed has thick skin otherwise it would have been seriously worse,” she said.

During the attack the woman not only feared for her beloved pet but also for her unborn child.

“At first I was hesitant to intervene but the owner of the German Shepherd just stood there so I didn’t have a choice,” she said.

“As soon as it was over I went into shock, hyperventilating and crying.

“I could barely breathe and just kept repeating ‘I’m pregnant’.”

To add insult to the injury, the 31-year-old said the German Shepherd’s owner had been uncontactable since the attack, despite saying she would cover all veterinary costs.

“The number they gave me is now disconnected,” she said.

“I have opened an investigation with the (City of Darwin) rangers and provided a description.

“I will never forget the dog’s face.”

A friend of the 31-year-old, who was present during the incident, recounted the attack in a Facebook post on the Darwin – Have a Whinge page.

The post read: “We tried to pull it off … it latched on and wouldn’t let go! I had punched it in the eyes a few times. Felt like a lifetime rolling on me”.

Casuarina residents were quick to respond to the post with one woman concerned about the number of off-leash dogs at the popular beach.

“Most people do not have their dogs on leashes at Casuarina Beach even though it is a leashed area,” she commented.

“It is a disaster waiting to happen when people don’t have effective control of their dogs.”

The woman said more should be done to educate people on “responsible dog ownership” to ensure all animals and people are safe in public places.

“I’ve owned dogs such as Rottweilers before but they have been trained and socialised well early to prevent unsocial behaviour such as this,” she said

“Responsible pet ownership is my biggest concern.

“If you know you don’t have the capacity to pull your large dog from another and control it in a situation like this then muzzle it and don’t let it off leash.”

The City of Darwin has been contacted for comment.

It comes after a 21-month-old infant was mauled by a rottweiler in April this year — which sparked a conversation for tighter regulations around dog ownership.

Darwin mum Shauna Mounsey told NT News she was at a local cafe when the rottweiler at a near by table launched itself at her son Lloyd Jayathilaka and bit his right arm.

As a result of the “traumatic” incident, Ms Mounsey is now calling for tighter laws around the control of dogs.

Shauna Mounsey with her son Lloyd Jayathilaka who was attacked by an unrestrained dog in the Botanical Gardens. Picture: Glenn Campbell

She said her aim was not to “demonise” certain dog breeds but to shed light on how complacent society had become with dogs and where they were allowed to go.

“Simple measures like ­requesting owners have a muzzle on their dogs and seat them in a designated dog area when at a cafe, are a minor ­inconvenience that would significantly reduce the risk of a serious attack,” Ms Mounsey said.

“When something like this happens it is a lose-lose situation. My child has been seriously injured and a much-loved family pet is going to be put down due to one ­mistake.”