Danielle Saunderson from Bangor, Co Down, got here home from vacation hours earlier than her canine Teddy, was set upon close to the youngsters’s playpark of the seaside city.
Shih Tzu Teddy, who weighs lower than 6kg, was being walked by Danielle’s sister, Stacey, when he was attacked by a off-lead canine and sustained life-threatening accidents.
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Following the terrifying incident that lasted 9 minutes, tiny Teddy needed to bear radical surgical procedure in a bid to offer him an opportunity of survival. He had a big part of his intestines and a kidney eliminated, he additionally sustained crush accidents to his pancreas, his lumbar muscle tissues have been torn away from his backbone and he suffered extreme bruising, plus grip and slash lacerations to his stomach from the opposite canine’s enamel.
And right this moment as his house owners, Danielle and Angela, work to nurse him to restoration and hoped-for rehabilitation, they’re dealing with a joint vets’ bill of around £7,000 which may rise furthe r.
Danielle, 38, a well being employee, mentioned: “Our treasured canine is in ache and will by no means totally recuperate, and we’re in shock too, we’re nonetheless in tears and I’m so fearful that at this stage I don’t suppose I might ever take Teddy out for a stroll once more. In addition to that we’re additionally in 1000’s of kilos debt due to the emergency care Teddy wanted and though none of this has been of our making however we’re left to choose up the items.
“There is something seriously wrong when laws do not adequately protect animals like Teddy or owners like us and that we are left in this mess.”
Danielle defined that Teddy was grabbed by a canine who was being walked off lead within the Co Down city at 9.10am on February 1, and instantly their lives modified.
She mentioned: “My sister Stacey had been taking care of teddy whereas we have been on vacation and she or he was taking him for a stroll after dropping her son to high school. As she was walking by means of Bangor the opposite canine, a combined breed in regards to the measurement of a Labrador, simply landed on prime of Teddy. He grabbed Teddy by his abdomen and repeatedly shook him, then dropped him and turned and attacked once more. Teddy was utterly silent through the assault, however there have been different folks within the space and so they ran to assist him and Stacey.
They shouted and kicked on the large canine and did their greatest to get it off Teddy however the ordeal lasted a full 9 minutes.
“Stacey was knocked to the ground by the dog as it went for Teddy and she injured her head and her leg. She managed to get back up and her friend had taken Teddy’s lead and complete strangers had run to help and finally the other dog was pulled away and a man managed to get Teddy into his arms. He was totally silent throughout the attack, shocked and terrified but he cried out in pain when the man handed him to a woman who was helping put him into Stacey’s coat.”
Teddy’s stomach was ripped open within the assault and vets at Rathgael Veterinary Clinic promised to do their greatest however feared the worst for the little pup.
Danielle mentioned: “Stacey had called me and my wife Angela and we raced to the scene and rushed Teddy to our vet Kirsty, but his injuries were horrendous and we were gently warned that we needed to prepare ourselves for the worst outcome, that Teddy would be unlikely to survive the shock of the attack or the injuries, or that he might succumb to infection.”
Vet Kirsty Morrison operated on Teddy at her Bangor base at Rathgael Veterinary Clinic and mentioned his restoration thus far had defied the percentages. She operated on Teddy for 2 and a half hours to offer him a combating likelihood and after coming spherical from drastic surgical procedure, his survival turned a ready recreation.
She defined: “Teddy suffered horrific accidents to his stomach, his physique wall was severely ruptured and the chance of an infection was very excessive. But I did all the things I might to offer him the perfect likelihood. He needed to have 20cm of intestines eliminated and in addition one in every of his kidneys, and now we’ll have to attend to see how different injury and bruising heals.
“He’s such an ideal wee character and he simply needed to stay and as soon as we noticed that tail of his wag just a little, we knew his possibilities have been bettering and 5 days after struggling a horrendous trauma he was in a position to go home to be nursed in acquainted environment. and now we’re hopeful that he’ll recuperate extra.
“His injuries were the worst I’ve worked with in a small dog and initially I was not hopeful that he’d even make it through surgery because of the severity of the injuries, the shock he endured and the risk of infection. But dogs are miracles in themselves and I’m glad to have been a part of his journey to recovery. We will be checking regularly on his progress.”
Danielle mentioned: “Incredibly he pulled by means of the primary evening and we began to hope he could be OK. But by day two his bloods have been in poor form and he needed to be rushed to Earlswood Vets in Belfast for twenty-four hours care.
“We began quietly to say our goodbyes to Teddy however hoped and prayed he would battle on and fortunately he did. By day 5 he was a lot brighter regardless of his trauma and shock and the vets thought the perfect place for him to chill out and recuperate was at home with me and Angela. So we collected him on Tuesday evening and he received by means of his first evening at home.
“We hope he’ll make a restoration, we hope we are going to get our previous teddy again, the loving and affectionate little canine that’s the centre of our home. But it’s too early to say what’s going to occur. He is on numerous remedy, he’s in ache, he’s nonetheless shocked and fairly dazed and has misplaced numerous weight.
“But we are going to do all the things we will to assist him by means of. This has been probably the most traumatic time of our lives. Teddy is our accountability and like a baby to Angela and I and anybody who says he’s only a canine simply doesn’t perceive.
“As accountable house owners, he’s licenced, chipped, he’s insured and liked, he was being walked on a lead and being sorted correctly however we’re those who’ve needed to cope with this trauma, we’re those dealing with vets payments amounting to date to almost £7,000, we’re those having to assist his restoration and rehabilitation and we’re those devastated by what has occurred to him and to us.
“There is an issue of random and severe canine assaults in Northern Ireland that should cease. People must take full accountability for his or her pets, they have to be held totally answerable for their pets. They needs to be walked on the lead in most areas and anybody whose canine assaults one other canine needs to be handled by a lot stricter legal guidelines than now we have in the mean time.
“We will see how the investigation by the council goes into what occurred to Teddy and what occurs to the one who has accountability for the canine that attacked Teddy.
“Whatever the end result, Northern Ireland needs to be main the best way in how animals are handled and handled in society, particularly dogs and their house owners and everybody ought to know that actions and inaction should be accounted for.
“People ought to have the ability to really feel protected with dogs whereas walking our streets. I don’t consider in dangerous dogs, however I do suppose that many dogs are let down by house owners who don’t rear them, preserve them or guarantee they behave appropriately.
“We nearly lost Teddy in an unprovoked and brutal attack, but thankfully he is still here and he’s fighting on. But myself and my wife and my sister have all lost confidence and peace over what happened to Teddy and we are also left with a massive bill to pay whether he makes a full recovery or not. Things need to change. Responsible people need to be protected and so do their pets.”
A spokesperson for Ards and North Down Borough Council confirmed an investigation is underway. He mentioned: “We take all such reports very seriously and carry out thorough investigations in a timely and robust manner. As this incident is subject to an ongoing investigation, Council is unable to comment further at this time.”
A GoFundMe page has been set as much as attempt to assist Danielle and Angela meet the prices of teddy’s surgical procedure and care. It can be found by clicking here and following the link.
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