Dog ‘ripped to pieces’ in vicious attack

Tony Price, 57, of Nutley Avenue, Goring, was walking four-year-old Buddy, a Yorkshire terrier Daschund cross, along Marine Drive, in Ferring, when the attack took place.

Mr Price said: “It clamped down on my dog and ripped him to pieces. I was shaken, it almost reduced me to tears.

“It was a very traumatic ordeal, every time I think about it it makes me more and more angry and upset.”

According to Mr Price, the attack was unprovoked and in an area children were playing.

Buddy was taken to Grove Lodge vets where it underwent surgery at a cost of more than £1,100.

It required both internal and external stitches and treatment to two ‘major’ puncture wounds in its stomach.

Mr Price said he had to repeatedly punch the Staffie in the face to get it to release Buddy, something he was not proud of because he ‘loves animals’.

Following the attack, Mr Price called the dog warden and the police via 101 who logged the incident.

He said: “I’m not trying to get the dog put to sleep. I want the owner to have a stern talking to and make sure the dog is muzzled and kept on a lead in a public place.”

He added that the dog’s owner was apologetic and travelled to the vets to check on Buddy’s condition.