A couple who claim their dog was ‘violently attacked’ by another dog while on a walk say the incident left their beloved pet ‘jitters and petrified’ and needed treatment emergency.

Ian and Carol Harling, of Rochdale Road in Bacup, say their beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Freddie was brutally attacked by a German Shepherd Dog around 3pm on Saturday afternoon (April 23) after running out of a garden on Cobden Street.

The savage attack lasted a few minutes but left Freddie with a series of puncture wounds, which required medical treatment by a local vet. Carol said Freddie was treated with stitches and painkillers, and left “nervous and petrified” after the incident.

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WARNING: DESTROYING IMAGES BELOW

Carol, 58, who is a secretary, told Lancs Live she was now warning people to stay away from the area after other dog owners claimed similar experiences nearby. “My dog ​​is as shy as can be,” Carol said.

“We were just walking and I saw a dog at a door that started barking, then I turned around and a German Shepherd was right there pinning my dog ​​to the ground. “I was screaming, take your dog and the owner came over and the dog ran back to her. The owner never told me anything and just disappeared.

The couple, who also have a Corgi named Henry, said they reported the incident to the police and the council dog warden. “It was just me walking the dog,” she added. “It was a vicious attack; he just pinned him down because the German Shepherd was a pretty big dog.

Ian, 59, a machine operator, said in a social media post: ‘All dog owners beware, stay off Cobden Street; our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was savagely attacked by a German Shepherd who ran out of a garden. Afterwards, he told Lancs Live: “We took Freddie to the vet and had the punctured areas put staples.

“He’s a rescue and he was very shy and it took a long time for him to trust us and now we’re back to square one. The other owner didn’t even ask how he was doing – he just took the dog and came back into the house.”

Since sharing details of the incident, Carol said other people have made contact with similar encounters in the area near a primary school. Meanwhile, Carol added: “Freddie is fine, very shaken up, he’s very nervous at first but it scared him to death.

“He has quite a few puncture wounds and a few basic stitches, on a lot of painkillers. It was such a shock for him and me. We’re not going to drop it; we really want something done because where it happened is not far from a school, Britannia Community Primary School, and you don’t know if it could attack a child. I want something done about this.

“He’s a very dangerous dog, and the owner hasn’t apologized or anything, we immediately took him to the vet at Oakmount Veterinary Center in Burnley. My message to other dog owners is just to be careful in the area, as we were just walking and he just came out of the garden. It’s also good to warn people who have walked there every day; I won’t be going there again.” Ian added: “S’ he can hit a dog, he can hit a child.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “It looks like a very distressing incident and must have been terribly upsetting for the owner of the spaniel. Dog owners have legal liability, under the dangerous dogs, to keep their dog under control in a public place.

“This legislation is enforced by the police. We ask dog owners to be aware of this and to keep their dog under control at all times.”

Lancashire Police say a dog attack on another dog is a matter for the council rather than the police. A spokesman for Rossendale Borough Council said: “Council has been informed and is currently investigating the incident which happened on April 23 in Bacup. We cannot comment or give further information until we have have not completed our investigations.

“If people have concerns about a dog they think is dangerous, or if their dog has been attacked by another dog, they can report the incident to us on 01706 217777 or email us at [email protected] If a dog attacks and injures a person, the matter should be reported to the police.”

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