An Angus woman is facing vet bills of more than £8,000 after her dog was attacked in Arbroath.
Kirsty Mathieson, from Kirriemuir, was walking with her sister and cockapoo Archie at Arbroath cliffs when they were approached by an unleashed dog.
The following attack left Archie in a vet’s ICU with serious injuries including a ripped abdominal wall and two hernias.
Kirsty said the dog ran at them and attacked Archie on February 27.
She does not know what type of dog it was, but believes it was a crossbreed.
“We walked across the nature trail and crossed the stream and the dog came from towards us,” she said.
“The next thing I know there was an altercation and Archie was in the dog’s mouth being shaken like a rag doll.
“Eventually the owner came from where he was and managed to get his dog off Archie.”
Arbroath dog attack horror
Kirsty asked the owner to stay where he was until she checked Archie over so she could get his details, but he walked away.
“It was like we were something on the bottom of his shoe, he didn’t even apologise,” she said.
“My sister took the dog’s fleece off and realised he was bleeding from his abdomen, and I was just screaming.”
Archie was left with serious abdominal injuries and had to be taken to the animal hospital in Edinburgh after an emergency vet in Arbroath found internal injuries.
Once in Edinburgh, Kirsty was told Archie would need reconstructive surgery on his abdomen and a stay in intensive care.
“All the vet in Arbroath could do was make him comfortable and do an ultrasound until we could get to Edinburgh,” Kirsty added.
“Archie stayed in intensive care for about four days.
“They found the dog had ripped Archie’s abdominal wall and caused two hernias, so his organs had started to go through that.
“He had to get surgery and reconstruction so the muscles in his abdomen could be put back together.”
Kirsty expects her vet bill to be over £8,000 but said she would have done anything to save Archie, who is now at home in Kirriemuir recovering.
Witness appeal
Now, Kirsty has appealed for help to trace a family of four who witnessed the attack in the hope they can give information to the police and dog warden.
Kirsty said the dog warden tracked down the other animal’s owners but they are “refusing to co-operate”.
“This family are the only people who saw what happened and are neutral,” she added.
“I think they were quite shaken up, so that might be why they haven’t come forward.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We received a report of a dog being attacked by another dog in Victoria Park, Arbroath at around 3pm on Sunday February 27, 2022.
“Appropriate advice was offered to those involved.
“The incident was referred for further enquiry to the dog warden service.”
An Angus Council spokesman said: “We can confirm the incident that happened in Arbroath on Sunday February 27 was reported to ourselves and Police Scotland.
“Enquiries were subsequently carried out by our Dog Warden Service and appropriate action taken.”
