A DOG lover from Stanford-le-Hope has suffered injuries right up both arms after defending her puppy from a vicious dog attack.
Nellie, a 17-week-old German Shepherd, was attacked by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier off the lead while out walking with owner Nikki Bryant on 3 June at Hardie Park.
The unprovoked attack prompted Nikki, along with a woman and a man nearby, to jump to Nellie’s defence. As a result of stepping in Nikki not only received several bite wounds up her arms, but also smashed her glasses.
Nikki, who is a dog trainer and the volunteer area co-ordinator with Pets As Therapy, said: “It was a horrific sight and I was in tears by the end of it. I later found out that the whole incident was so harrowing that an elderly lady who saw it nearly had a panic attack.
“It took three people to get the dog off of her and there’s no doubt in my mind that this dog would have killed her. I’m so thankful to those people for stepping in when they did.
“My dogs are my best friends and I spend all my time with them, so I am not going to stand by and let another dog kill my best friend, and that’s why I got bitten.”
The route from one subway to the other was a regular walk for Nikki and her German Shepherds Nellie and Ava, who is Nellie’s biological aunt. However, since the attack Nikki has been on anxiety medication.
She added: “It’s a great little walk that we’ve got, but at the moment I just can’t comprehend walking around the park with other dogs that are off leads.”
It is expected to take Nellie three or four weeks to recover, and during this time she has to sleep in a crate, have the wounds cleaned and treated twice a day, and have her play restricted.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier has been seized by police and is currently undergoing an assessment to determine whether it is a banned breed or poses a threat to the public.
The magistrates’ court will determine what will happen to the dog, following the assessment.
