A woman has been left devastated after her dog fell through a controversial cattle grid which resulted in a broken neck. Sadly, seven-year-old Schnoodle (Schnauzer and Poodle cross) Eva died as a result of her injuries. Her owner, Jo Walters, claims that the cattle grid was only installed in Castle Meadows Park, Abergavenny, two days before the incident.
Ms Walters said she often walked Eva at the Castle Meadows which is around 20 hectares of riverside meadow next to the River Usk. Cattle also graze in the park. The cattle grid was installed as part of Monmouthshire Council's active travel scheme.
She said there had been lots of opposition to the grid from local residents, and the only reason she was near the grid in the first place on Friday, April 28, was to scan a QR code and leave her view that she did not think it was safe to have it in an area so abundant with wildlife and where dogs are walked.
Read next: Woman punched, scratched, and bit stranger who told her off for kicking bins
"Local people warned that they weren't safe and now I've lost my dear little dog which is heart-breaking. I want to make sure that nobody else has to suffer what I suffered on Friday," said Ms Walters. "A lot of people said there's gonna be an accident, that dogs are going to break their legs.
"It's a place where people take their dogs, it's sort of a safe place for people to let their dogs off the lead. There's no sheep, no children playing. There's nobody for the dogs to disturb. And it's just the most fantastic place where people take their dogs the dogs run off their leads, play together, socialise they get wonderful exercise. It's not really a suitable place for one of these."
There is a survey on Monmouthshire Council's website requesting the public's views on the changes to the park. It says that the trial will be in place for 12 months and if alterations are needed the council will look to accommodate new changes as the trial progresses
"I actually went over it because there was a QR code next to the grid that you could pick up to put send your comments in. And this is what's so ironic and heart-breaking. But I stopped to talk to somebody. And my little dog went running in full of excitement that she ran over the grid. She got caught, and she broke her neck. I'm in shock at the moment - it's going to take me months to get over this."
Eva has been described as a "really, really happy playful dog who loved Castle Meadows. Ms Walters says that her other dog who was Eva's brother, has been "shocked" by the incident. "Poor little thing he doesn't really know what to do with himself."
A petition to remove the grid has now reached 900 signatures.
A Monmouthshire County Council spokesperson said: "We are so sorry to hear about the tragic incident over the weekend. It gives reason to take a little more time before making a final decision on future access arrangements for the Castle Meadows in Abergavenny. We will postpone an item scheduled for planning committee today which had been intended to consider this."
Read next:
Man threatened partner with machete as she cradles their newborn baby
Man's nose 'splattered all over his face' in neighbour noise row
A driver's 'momentary lapse of concentration' at a roundabout caused the death of a much-loved biker
Child killer sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years
