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A mum is looking for justice after the help canine of her 15-year-old son with disabilities was brutally mauled to demise earlier than their eyes by what gave the impression to be a Rottweiler and he now “relives” the traumatic episode on the similar time each night time.
Jane Bird, 48, from Scunthorpe, and her son Nicholas had been just a few minutes into their night canine walk in February when their pet Yorkie Jack Russell cross, named Ruby, was viciously attacked and mauled to demise.
Nicholas suffers from paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), a dysfunction which is triggered by a defective immune system and may trigger a spread of signs together with anxiousness, obsessive-compulsive dysfunction (OCD) and studying disabilities.
The 15-year-old punched and kicked the canine to attempt to cease the attack however Ruby, who was Nicholas’ “best friend” and an “emotional support dog” for him, needed to be put to sleep after the vet later found her kidney and spleen had been ruptured.
They mentioned the canine which attacked Ruby regarded like a Rottweiler and simply “appeared out of nowhere” earlier than latching on to her and lifting her into the air, inflicting extreme inner accidents.
CCTV footage of the attack was captured by one of many household’s neighbours – in it Jane will be heard shouting “get it off” and repeatedly calling for assist.
Jane, who lives together with her husband, Wayne Bird, 57, a metal employee, and her 4 sons, Alex, 20, Lewis, 17, Mathew, 15, and his twin brother Nicholas, mentioned no person has come ahead to apologise or assist cowl their £2,000 vet invoice.
Nicholas and Ruby had been ‘best friends’ and he or she would sleep on his mattress (Collect/PA Real Life)
(PA)
She has reported the incident to Humberside Police and Lincolnshire Council, who’ve issued the proprietor with a warning and recommendation.
“She was his emotional support dog,” Jane advised PA Real Life.
“Ruby was his best friend and she was there for him through thick and thin.
“Having to make the decision to put her to sleep was just awful really.”
Jane and Nicholas took their two dogs, Ruby and Buddy, out for a night walk at round 9.30pm on February 12 2024.
They determined to take a shortcut as a result of Jane wanted to choose up her elder son Lewis from the gymnasium later that night.
It was not the primary time that they had taken the shortcut, a small pedestrian path in a residential space.
“It was a quiet evening and there was nobody about,” mentioned Jane.
As the pair made their manner down the trail, a big canine, which they described as a rottweiler, immediately appeared.
“We had no time to react whatsoever and it just lunged straight onto Ruby,” she mentioned.
“Nicholas immediately tried to break up the attack by punching and kicking the dog.”
But Jane was terrified the vicious hound would maul Nicholas, who was 14 on the time, and so advised him to take their different cross breed canine Buddy home.
“I continued to scream for help because the dog just wasn’t letting go and Ruby was yelping,” Jane continued.
A person appeared from the property however Jane mentioned he didn’t intervene till neighbours arrived with a flashlight.
“It was a big, strong dog, which we believe was a rottweiler,” she added.
“It was lifting her in the air and causing internal injuries which we only found out later.”
The canine lastly loosened its grip on Ruby when the person began shouting, nevertheless it was too little too late.
Nicholas enjoying with their two dogs, Ruby and Buddy earlier than the attack (Collect/PA Real Life)
(PA )
Jane instantly rushed Ruby to an emergency vet service, wrapped in a towel from one of many neighbours.
“Straight away the vet said I need to warn you, this is serious,” she mentioned.
“Her injuries are severe but we’ll do our best to patch her up.”
It took round three hours for the vet to stabilise Ruby and put together her for surgical procedure.
But the extent of Ruby’s accidents quickly turned clear.
She had been bitten a number of occasions with such power that it had torn by means of her organs.
“It was about 1.45am when she called to say we’ve opened her up and her injuries are too severe to carry on operating,” she mentioned.
“Her kidney was torn in half and her spleen had been ruptured, so she said it would cruel to carry on.
“‘Do you consent to putting her to sleep while she’s under sedation, because it’s the kindest thing to do?’
“Obviously we were completely mortified at that point, because we had not known how bad it was.”
Her son Nicholas continues to be struggling to come back to phrases with what occurred.
“Since the attack he’s just not been able to engage,” she mentioned.
“She slept on his bed every night and didn’t really leave his side.
“The aftermath for us is that every evening, at the time of the attack, Nicholas is reliving it.
“It’s just really traumatic for him.”
Jane had been warned that the operation would cost £2,000 whatever the consequence, which her husband, Wayne paid on his bank card.
She mentioned no person has come ahead to apologise or supply any compensation.
“We have had no contact at all,” mentioned Jane.
“They haven’t come to see if we need any help or anything like that.
“We feel like it’s really unfair that something like this can happen and it seems like no-one is being held to account.
“They get to keep their dog, whether it’s aggressive or not.”
The household have now launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to assist them repay the invoice.
Jane mentioned Nicholas relives the terrifying attack ‘each night’ (Collect/PA Real Life)
(PA)
“When we look back at the CCTV, you can see the dog was alerted to our presence about 20 seconds before we got to the gate,” mentioned Jane.
“It must have heard the leads rattling and us talking, and then as soon as we approached it just pounced.
“It knew we were there, but we couldn’t see it because it was dark.”
To help Jane and her household go to: www.gofundme.com/f/pay-for-emergency-vet-ills-for-rubys-surgery
Jane contacted Humberside Police concerning the incident and has supplied a press release to them, however was advised it was a civil matter.
She has additionally reported the incident to the canine warden service at Lincolnshire Council, who confirmed they’ve issued a “warning/advice letter to the dog owner”.
