A six-month-old puppy has been killed in an attack by a bulldog. Anna went out at lunchtime on Monday to give spaniel puppy Felix a walk but as they returned home the dog was attacked.
Anna said: "This guy was sat outside a restaurant on a kind of iron pipe or ladder with his dog not on the lead, and it basically stood up and ran straight at Felix and started attacking him.
"It was really shocking, I was really afraid it was going to attack me as well. I was screaming like crazy by this point and several people from the NHS clinic ran out of the back door, Paul, Emma, and Vannessa, they came to help and they were so brave. They basically pulled Felix out of that huge dog’s jaws which was really horrible to have to see.
"The owner was trying to take the dog back but it wouldn’t listen - it was just munching on my puppy."
Anna told MyLondon she took Felix into the clinic where it became clear he was badly hurt. Anna added: "He was so shocked and couldn’t really walk. He tried to vomit and couldn’t do that, he wouldn’t drink any water either. We took him to the emergency vet and they did a scan and found really really bad internal bleeding. So they opened him up and did surgery, his stomach and his liver were both torn which they stitched up.
"He was in emergency care overnight though and just didn’t cope and his heart stopped. These type of bulldogs they need to be muzzled or they need to be on a lead and not anywhere near where kids are."
Felix died of his injuries on Monday night
Anna, who moved from Ukraine 11 years ago, said: "For me he was a mental health dog. I’m having issues because of the war in Ukraine. My pregnancy was just after the war started and having this dog was like a dream. I’ve wanted to have a dog for so long.
"But he's [my son] Nikita's dog. He got him [as a gift] for passing his 11+ exams. I was about eight months pregnant when we got him and I thought by the time the new baby arrives my son will have a trained puppy dog and friend so he doesn’t get so lonely when we have to spend more time looking after the baby.
"It was so good for him, he was being so responsible. He’s 11 years old and would wake up at 6.30am to walk the dog! I was watching him even picking up Felix’s poop and making sure he wasn’t eating anything bad while he was out."
She continued: "They would spend hours playing and training and feeding him. My son changed with the dog, it wasn’t just a friend but a responsibility as well. He could change Nikita’s mood in a second."
"Felix became part of the family and now it just feels so empty at home, so different."
Anna has an appointment to report the attack to the police on Wednesday.
