Warning over danger dog

Murphy’s back and was biting him and pinning him down.

“Because Murphy was on the lead he couldn’t run away or protect himself.

“The next thing I heard was the owner saying he would get the dog back in the van and I thought he meant he would put the dog in the van and come back. But he just drove off up the lane.

“It was totally unprovoked and over so quickly. I struggled to get Murphy to the vet’s but it was clear he was badly injured.”

Howard said the Boxer’s owner drove a white van, which he believed was a Ford Transit, and he had seen him driving around the area before with the dog in the passenger seat. He thought he must live locally. “I have no animosity towards the dog because dogs will be dogs,” said Howard.

“There are no such things as bad dogs, only bad owners.”

Howard said he intended to report what happened to the dog warden service and wanted to warn other dog owners and those with young children to beware.

He added: “Sadly there were no witnesses to this attack and the police are unable to do anything.

“The vet said Murphy already had rheumatism and would need painkillers for weeks or months so I reluctantly made the decision to put him out of his pain.

“That was the last good thing I could do for my beautiful best friend.”