A horrified mum has told of the moment a dog attacked her screaming family and new puppy. Rachel Doherty's husband Wes and 14-week-old pup Bobby were bitten after the bulldog charged towards them in a Salford park.
Terrified Rachel picked up their Cavapoo and threw him into the arms of Wes. But the huge dog jumped and repeatedly bit the puppy during the "disgusting" attack in front of their three young children, aged four, six and nine.
Tiny Bobby was rushed for emergency surgery on his groin and stomach while Wes suffered bite wounds to his hand and needed hospital treatment following their ordeal in Albert Park.
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Mum-of-three Rachel told the M.E.N : "We had only just arrived in the park when this dog just leaped in the air and started running towards us.
"This dog was huge - it was easily triple the size of our dog. It just launched itself at my husband, and he was yelling and trying to hold our dog up in the air so it couldn't reach him.
"We were all screaming. My children were crying and asking if Bobby was going to die. I can't get their screams out of my head, it was traumatic."
Warning others, she added: "People with their children in the park need to be aware that this can happen. You just don't expect a dog to randomly start launching at your family. If my dog hadn't have been there, it could've been my child instead."
The aggressive dog, believed to be an American Bulldog, caused serious injuries to Bobby's groin and stomach on July 30. Wes needed a tetanus jab and antibiotics to treat deep bite wounds.
Rachel claimed the owner eventually came running over and managed to pull his dog away before leaving the scene. The couple reported the attack to police who are investigating.
Wes added: "We just didn't know what to do afterwards. We were stood in the middle of the park and the kids were all crying. I went straight to the hospital and Rachel went to the emergency vets.
"Bobby was kept in overnight and had to have surgery on his stomach and groin. He has stitches all across his belly where he has been bitten. If we didn't take him to the vets, he could have bled out and died.
"It's disgusting that there are dangerous dogs like this out there not on leads. This could've easily been one of our children that are attacked. Will it take a baby or young child to be killed for harsher action to be taken against the owners of these dangerous dogs?"
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "We received the call at around 6pm on Saturday 30 July that a dog was dangerously out of control in Albert Park, Salford and had caused injury.
"The dog had bitten a 34-year-old man on the hand which required medical assistance. It had also bitten another dog which required treatment by a vet.
"Officers have contacted both parties involved. Enquiries are still being conducted and no arrests or actions have been carried out at this moment in time. Both parties are assisting in the investigation."
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