Brimbank council is investigating an unprovoked dog attack that left an Albion woman’s pet seriously injured and “lucky to be alive”.
Abbey said she was “unbelievably disappointed” with Brimbank council’s handling of the incident at an Albion service station on September 1 this year.
Walking her four-year-old groodle Larry past the Ballarat Road servo, Abbey says she noticed a parked, older model, red hatchback, with two dogs and a man inside, and a woman outside the vehicle. One dog leapt suddenly from the front passenger seat, and savaged Larry’s neck, refusing to let go, Abbey said.
“I tried kicking and punching the dog,” she said. “I was screaming … I truly thought he was going to be killed.”
A stranger pulled off the offending dog.
“Without him, I hate to think what might have happened,” Abbey said.
Emergency surgery at Sunshine Veterinary Clinic revealed a 10cm vertical laceration, which had separated Larry’s ear completely, and puncture wounds on his right shoulder area, which required stitches – costing $861.40.
“Larry was very lucky to be alive,” she said.
Abbey said she was told by a council ranger who attended the scene after she left that the “very aggressive” couple who owned the dogs were living in the car.
Abbey believes the officer was “bullied” by the couple.
“[He was] walked all over,” she said.
Council’s city development director Stuart Menzies said the officer did not seize the dog “in the interests of the safety of all the [police] officers at the scene”.
He said the council, with help from police, is trying to find the attacking dog’s owners.
