FAMILY'S LOVED PET MAULED TO DEATH
A BELOVED family pet has been mauled to death in front of its owner in a horrifying attack by another dog.
Angela Sanderson was walking her daughters’ beloved Jack Russell, Pebbles, in Highfields on Sunday afternoon when the husky attacked.
Pebbles was on a leash when the unleashed husky ran up and grabbed the tiny dog.
Ms Sanderson was not even able to see the dog’s owners in the distance. They had been walking with the dog prior to the attack.
Her children Holly, 14, Lucy, 11, and Ruby Anlezark, 8, have been left devastated at the loss of their six-year-old companion.
The girls’ father, Justin Anlezark, is just thankful they were not with their mother when the attack happened about 4.30pm at a park on Highfields Rd.
“It was just awful for Ang. The dog just grabbed Pebbles and was tearing holes in her,” Mr Anlezark said.
“She said the holes were so deep you could actually see her heart beating.”
Mr Anlezark said the attack lasted a couple of minutes at most and poor Pebbles was still clinging to life. Unfortunately there was nothing a vet could do to help and she was put down.
“When the owner finally came up to Ang, he was just dumbfounded,” Mr Anlezark said.
“What would have happened if the kids were there?
“I am more scared about what if it was a family with a baby laying on the grass.
“It ran straight for Pebbles. It didn’t care who was around.”
Mr Anlezark described Pebbles as their little “soul mate”.
He now wants to make sure all dog owners, especially those who have larger dogs, are accountable for their animals.
“If you are an owner you have got to think of the repercussions,” Mr Anlezark said.
“Poor Pebbles didn’t have a chance. She was just six years old and she was everything to us. It is like you have lost a child.
“Pebbles was the community’s dog. She loved Saturday’s Park Run. Everyone loves seeing her.”
Mr Anlezark wants to say to the husky’s owners, “we lost a really important member of our family because of your negligence in a split second”.
“If it was on the lead, they would have their dog and I would have mine,” he said.
Toowoomba Regional Council spoke to the family about the incident last night and Mr Anlezark called for the owners to be penalised over the attack.
“I don’t want anyone else to go through what we went thought. Owners need to be accountable,” he said.
Environmental health portfolio leader Cr Joe Ramia said the council treated all reported dog attacks seriously and investigated matters thoroughly.
He said the council was aware of the incident but could not say whether the dog had been seized or put down.
“A TRC animal management officer attended and commenced an investigation,” Cr Ramia said.
“TRC is working with the owner of the unrestrained dog who is assisting council with the investigation.
“No further comment on this case can be provided at this stage.”
However Cr Ramia said dog owners had a responsibility to maintain control of their dogs in public areas at all time and had a duty to ensure dogs were properly enclosed in private yards and did not wander.
The public can call 131 872, including after hours, to report dog attacks.