Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Horror as pet Collie is mauled by pack of hounds
Bullet second dog in weeks to be attacked by same animals
EXCLUSIVE TODAY we reveal the life-threatening injuries inflicted on a family dog by a pack of hunting hounds in a housing estate.
The Collie mix called Bullet, was the second dog in 10 weeks to be mauled by the same five lurchers in the Galliagh area of Derry.
Derry City and Strabane District Council have imposed control conditions on the animals while their investigation is ongoing.
In February a stray Golden Labrador who came to be called Bramble, was also attacked and was left with injuries that needed months of veterinary care.
Today it is almost four weeks since Bullet was attacked and he too has undergone multiple treatments, initially to save his life and subsequently to try to save his back legs.
The 12-year-old pet was so badly injured and shocked that vets feared he would not survive the first night in their care and offered to gently put him to sleep.
But Bullet’s family felt he should be given the chance so his last moments would not be those filled with terror and pain, but in the comfort of the home he has always known.
His owner said: “The vets are just amazed by him. He’s such a special dog, a good family dog and he was not ready to leave us. He’s the heart of us.
“Once the vets got him into intensive care and managed to help him through the first night, we knew he had a fighting chance.
“We’ve had Bullet since he was a tiny puppy and he has never given us a moment’s trouble, he’s never been sick or sore, he’d never been in a row or caused any issues. He has always been the perfect family dog, strong and gentle, reliable and good natured.
“It’s terrible that he’s facing all this trauma and rehabilitation at the age of almost 13. He has done nothing to deserve it.”
The attack on Bullet was captured on video in the early hours of May 5, as five lurcher type dogs worked as a pack biting his legs, groin, neck and back, while he lay defenceless near his home.
A man with the lurchers is seen in the video attempting to shield Bullet from the dogs, before walking away, the lurchers still unmuzzled and unsecured as required by law.
Bullet’s owner said: “The police were on the scene very quickly and tried to bandage the worst of the injuries but they indicated to us that they thought Bullet wouldn’t make it.
He’s been perfect family dog, strong and gentle OWNER DERRY, YESTERDAY
We didn’t realise just how bad it was until the bandages were taken off and his hair was clipped away, but the vet said his injuries were very serious and he wasn’t likely to survive the first 24 hours. “They offered to put him to sleep for us as the kindest thing to do but I couldn’t even contemplate it. We said we needed to give him a chance. We know our Bullet, we know he’s quiet but he’s strong and full of love and we felt if he was ready to leave us, he’d go himself. But we just didn’t see it in him. We needed to let him make the decisions here.
“He’s a remarkable dog. We hope thanks to the fantastic work by the vets that not only will he survive but he might regain some use of his most injured back leg so that he’ll be able to walk again. It’s nothing short of a miracle that he’s here – he deserved the chance and he has faced it bravely.
“Now somehow we have to work out how to get the bill paid. We’ve never seen anything like it before and it’s very scary.” The council and the PSNI are investigating both the attack on Bullet and the previous one on Bramble. Derry City and Strabane
District Council are expected to determine soon if a prosecution is necessary. In the meantime Bullet’s owners are left facing a vets bill of almost £8,000 with six months more care ahead of him.
A vet caring for Bullet said all efforts were being made to treat him and assist the family.
The vet explained: “It was obvious that he had been pulled by his legs in four directions, the other dogs had bitten and grabbed him in his groin, inside his legs, his belly and throat and he had multiple other injuries.”
A Derry City and Strabane District Council spokesperson said: “If it is felt that a prosecution is merited, then a summons will be sent to the court office for service on the defendant.
“Control Conditions have been imposed on the dogs alleged to be responsible for these attacks even though the investigation is still ongoing Under Article 30A of The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983.
“Control Conditions have been attached to the dog licence and will also require the dogs to be securely fitted with a muzzle sufficient to prevent them biting any person or animal in a public place.
“As this investigation is ongoing the council is unable to provide any further comment.”