A Glenrothes pensioner says he has been left traumatised after three dogs attacked him and his pet Schnauzer.
Distraught Murray Tocher, 86, says his rescue dog Mya nearly died during the attack on Friday.
Murray was left with deep gashes to his hands as he battled to pull the three large dogs off his pet.
He reported the attack to the police and is desperate for them to take action – fearing another dog or even a person could be killed.
Glenrothes pensioner and pet injured in ‘terrifying’ dog attack
Murray said: “This was a horrific and terrifying attack that has left Mya with 15 stitches to puncture wounds, deep gashes to her back and two broken ribs.
“The vet told me one of the wounds came within a fraction of her jugular vein and if it had got that she would be dead.
“I couldn’t sleep that night after it happened and I keep getting flashbacks
“I feel so guilty that I couldn’t protect her from this dreadful attack.”
Murray was on Reid Place in the Rimbleton area of the town, near his home, when he says the three dogs came “charging” towards Mya.
He said: “They were tearing into her and she was screaming in pain and fear.
“I tried to pull one off with my hands but it just sank its teeth into my hand and wouldn’t let go.
“It locked on and I couldn’t shake it off – and there were three of them – it was awful.
“I knew if I didn’t get them off Mya she would be killed.”
Pet dog ‘lucky to be alive’ after Glenrothes attack
Murray says he was in excruciating pain.
He continued: “The dogs weren’t on leads and weren’t muzzled and the people with them couldn’t control them.”
Others came to Murray and Mya’s aid and the smaller dog was taken to the vets.
Murray said: “The vet said she is lucky to be alive.
“We can’t even touch her, she is so sore.
“It’s going to be a very long time before we can take her for another walk.
“It was horrific. I decided I had to speak out before these dogs attack again.
“People may say Mya is only a dog but she is my baby.”
Murray’s daughter Maureen Campbell said: “Dad is pretty frail now and this has had a massive effect on him.
“He just keeps crying because he couldn’t really do anything to protect Mya.
“I was honestly terrified initially that the shock of it all might kill him but he’s ok.
“Mya looks like she has been ripped apart by a pterodactyl.
“I want these dogs destroyed before they attack someone else.”
Dog warden notified after Glenrothes attack
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report that a man and a dog had been injured by three other dogs in the Reid Place area of Glenrothes around 4.55pm on Friday.
“The man attended at hospital for treatment and the dog warden has been notified.”
A spokesperson for Fife Council – which runs the dog warden service – said: “We are aware of this incident which will be investigated under the Control of Dogs Scotland Act.”
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