Tracey Rees had set out with her two maltese shih tzus Scrappy and Beau about 9am on September 26 but was soon faced with what she described as the most terrifying experience of her life.
The trio had just passed the lake on Wentworth Parade when a large brindle-coloured dog attacked.
‘He was just going in for the kill,’ Ms Rees said.
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READ NOW‘I managed to pick Beau up but the dog just kept going for Scrappy.’
‘At first I was thinking, ‘what if the dog gets me’. Then it was ‘what if one of my dogs get killed?’, so I just went in kicking and luckily it didn’t turn on me.’
Melville mum Sonia Jukes was returning from dropping her children off at school when she spotted what she believes was a bull mastiff charging toward the dogs.
‘It ran out from a side street and made a beeline for Tracey’s dogs,’ she said.
‘I stopped and ran across to help her.
After a five minute struggle, which started on the path and ended in the middle of the road, the pair managed to free Scrappy and lock the two scared dogs in Sonia’s car.
By then about 10 cars had stopped with one man managing to get control of the attacking dog. It was taken to the pound while a second dog which had followed, but not attacked, was also taken away.
While Beau was fortunate to escape injury free, his companion suffered multiple puncture wounds.
Ms Rees said she could not thank Ms Jukes enough for putting her own safety on the line to help a complete stranger. After chatting to the Times last Wednesday, Ms Rees informed us she had spoken with the owner of the animal responsible for the attack.
She said the man was ‘sincerely remorseful’ and explained the dogs had escaped via an open gate.
‘He also explained how the dog had behavioural issues and that he has been having sessions with a behavioural therapist and was doing really well.
‘The owner was also more than happy to pay my vet bill too, which is a great relief.’