Family dog mauled to death

A family whose pet was torn apart by a pair of roaming dogs have warned of the potential risk to children.

The Lee family’s six-year-old pet Jack Russell, Bella, was attacked by a pair of dogs at Cois na Criann housing estate on the Ballymaloe Road in Cloyne, Co Cork. The dog died hours after the attack last Monday.

Nicky Lee said his biggest fear is that a child could be the dogs’ next victim.

“For any two dogs to wander into an estate and tear a dog apart outside your front door is disturbing. It’s sad how Bella died and the neighbours who saw it were distraught, but my fear is that it could be one of the kids next,” he said.

The family brought their beloved Bella to Limerick to be cremated on Thursday.

“We are heartbroken. It’s disgusting what happened,” said Nicky’s wife, Jessie Lee.

Neighbours Liz Gough and Ali O’Leary witnessed the attack and helped retrieve Bella from the marauding dogs.

Liz said the two dogs that attacked the Jack Russell were in a ‘blood frenzy’ and described the dogs as mongrels, with dark rust-coloured brown coarse hair, one about six inches taller than the other. Both were wearing collars: red and black.

“They had the smaller dog pinned on the driveway, one was at the neck and the other at the flanks. I gave the smaller one a belt with the brush but they just pulled Bella further away from us.

“We were afraid they were going to attack us. They were in a pure blood frenzy,” she said.

“I’d be worried they are being bred to fight because I don’t think normal dogs behave like that,” she said.

The attack lasted for around 10 minutes but seemed like hours, Liz said.

Advised by a local vet to throw a dish of water over the dogs to startle them, they managed to grab the injured Bella.

Bella died from multiple injuries later that night.

“She was the family pet. We got her for the kids, Adam and Lucy (aged seven and nine) and surprised them with her one night. She grew up with my kids and they grew up with her,” Nicky Lee said.

Gardaí and the CSPCA in Mahon were notified. However, the CSPCA said the area in which the attack took place is outside its geographical remit.