What a horrible, dreadful, upsetting day we had yesterday.
HWMO and I took our two little boys for their usual daily walk to the Park about 4 pm.They love what is for them, their one long walk for their little legs, as do we!!
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We closed the front door behind us and started our walk.
A lady has recently moved in to one of the houses on our small street with her little girl. We had heard that she had a Jack Russell dog and that it had already attacked another neighbour’s little Cairn Terrier as the householder was going to work and taking him with him, So as we approached her front door,(which has no frontage as such as all of our houses are terraced). We could see her front door was open as she was greeting someone.
I admit to being a little apprehensive after hearing about the first attack so just to be on the safe side, we moved away from the pavement onto the road on the other side of all the parked cars. Just as we passed her front door, wishing her good afternoon, her Jack Russell flew out of the door and immediately launched an attack on my poor little dog Flynn, who is the most softest, gentlest little dog you could ever imagine. It was so sudden it took us by complete shock, but it was horrific… He clamped his teeth around little Flynns ear and the side of his mouth, All one could hear was Flynn screaming! Neighbours came running out as Flynn’s little brother Ollie, was also so frightened too he actually freed himself from his harness Thankfully, one of the neighbours managed to grab him before he bolted.
HWMO, myself and the owner were desperately trying to prise open the dogs jaws to free little Flynn, but to no avail. He would not let go, and all the time Flynn was screaming.
Thank god, another neighbour came running out with a glass of water, told us to stand back (which was really difficult with my little Flynn screaming) and threw the water straight in the face of that vicious dog and he let go. HWMO picked up Flynn and ran back inside with him, closely followed by the kind neighbour carrying Ollie.The new neighbour was left frantically shouting at her Jack Russell to “get in there”.
I’m afraid as much as I was worried sick about Flynn, I couldn’t rush back as fast as HWMO as my accursed ill-health forced me to stop before I collapsed.(COPD). Half of my hand where I had exerted such pressure trying unsuccessfully to prise the dog’s jaw open, was now covered in one huge bruise,(due to warfarin) and I found it difficult to breath. But, I trudged on because.after all, poor little Flynn was the victim, not me!. Paul already had him in the bathroom with a bowl of warm water, antiseptic wipes etc, wiping away at his bloodied ear and side of his mouth. I took over from him and Flynn sat on my knee, cuddling up to me while I did my best to soothe and make a big fuss of him., whilst trying to clean up his bloodied matted ear and side of his mouth. My poor baby, he must have been in such pain and frightened having that dogs jaws clamped on him.
Now, I’m not a violent person, I love all animals and get upset if I accidently tread on a snail after it has been raining. I am terrified of spiders but still put toilet roll over the edge of the bath so any spider can escape those impossible shiny sides of the bath. But…. as three of us were trying to prise that dog’s jaws open, I admit that if necessary, I would have killed him in order to save Flynn. That could have been Flynn (or Ollie’s) throat instead of his ear and side of his mouth. It doesn’t bear thinking about.
Thankfully, apart from a small tear on the end of his ear and a cut mouth,the bleeding stopped and it didn’t necessitate a visit to the Vet, although we will be keeping a close eye on him. Ollie was fussing over him constantly for the next two hours.
The guilty neighbour came and knocked on the door ten minutes after the incident. HWMO answered the door, he said she looked as though she had been crying, was very upset and kept apologising.
HWMO said to her, ”Thank you for caring enough to call in person, We will discuss it later but at the moment we don’t feel much up to talking at all, so you will have to excuse me while I see to my little dog”.and closed the door on her.
I have never known him talk so abruptly to anyone in over 40 years of marriage, but he was REALLY angry.
Within 5 minutes he then had a text from her! Goodness knows where she obtained HWMO’s mobile number from, it must have been from one of the neighbours who are tradesmen and have done work for us in the past Anyhow, in the text she apologised again profusely, offered to pay all the Vet’s bills for Flynn, and said that the dog was going. He was not staying after this.
HWMO sent a text back half an hour later telling her that it was not for us to give advice on what she must do with her dog, but that it was obvious he was vicious, He also told her that at present, the Vet was not needed, but if needed due to this incident, he will present her with the bill for treatment. He also informed her that we must have her assurance that in future, when she opens her front door for any reason, whether there are other dogs about or not, she must ensure that the dog is always locked in another room before opening the front door, as it is not controlled by her.
Of course, despite a soaking wet, beraggled torn left ear and a cut mouth, Flynn was soon wagging his tail again thank god, He even got excited when HWMO brought his harness in for his now three hour late daily Park walk!. I couldn’t face it though. I made him take us all in the car to the Park. the only two who are still traumatised are HWMO and me! It is now the day after and I’m still shaky.
As I say, a truly horrible upsetting day yesterday.
Here is my little Flynn, a little sweetiepie.
I have been there myself and it leaves you feeling sick and shaken :-(.
