Four dogs break into yard and maul to death family pet as children run for cover
WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: A Sydney mother has helplessly watched on as her neighbour’s dogs ripped through her fence and tore her beloved pet Spoodle to pieces.
Beatriz George was hanging out the washing in the backyard of her Narraweena home on Friday when two-year-old Chilli started barking at four loose dogs hanging out on the other side of the fence.
Her three children, aged 5, 7, and 10, had hardly any time to react before the four dogs smashed their way through the fence and set upon the family dog.
“I just yelled to my kids ‘run run run’,” Ms George told Yahoo News.
She kept her children from the violent scene that was unfolding outside but they could still hear Chilli’s helpless cries.
“They destroyed him within minutes… there was no chance he was going to survive,” she explained.
“It was horrible but thank god I was in the garden hanging some clothes. If I was upstairs and my kids were downstairs, they could have been attacked.
“For 15 minutes after they had mauled Chilli, they all stood around him as if to guard what they had just attacked.”
Four police officers, five local rangers and Ms George’s husband all arrived within a short time of each other, not long after a further two dogs entered the yard through the broken fence.
She said the rangers attempts to contain the dogs failed and five of them eventually left through the hole, with the final animal eventually removed from the yard.
It was then they realised Chilli was still breathing. He was immediately transferred to the Northside Emergency Vet in Terrey Hills for intensive hour-by-hour care.
An hour later, the heartbroken family received a call from the vet that Chilli had gone into cardiac arrest and died.
The devastated 41-year-old said she was in disbelief when the rangers didn’t seize the dogs then and there.
“My family and I are living in fear… what if they come back?” she said.
“I don’t want to be terrified in my own house anymore.”
Four dogs forfeited to council
Since speaking with Yahoo News, Ms George confirmed that the owner had forfeited four of the six dogs. Executive Manager of Environmental Compliance Neil Williamson told councillors that “it is intended to have the four dogs euthanised as soon as possible”.
Northern Beaches Council CEO Ray Brownlee told Yahoo News that they take dog attacks of this nature extremely serious and that there are “significant penalties” for owners who do not have their dogs under their control.
“This has been an extremely traumatic experience for the attacked dog’s owners and the broader community who witnessed the attack,” Ms Brownlee said.
“I reiterate the message to all owners of dogs to know your responsibilities: register and microchip your dogs, house them securely and make sure they are under your control at all times.
This Sydney mum could only watch on and shield her three children from the window as her neighbour’s dogs broke through the fence and tore their pet Spoodle to pieces #YahooNews
Full story | https://t.co/cNfTzRTm7t pic.twitter.com/jd9LBCA01U
— Samuel Hussey (@smhussey) January 29, 2019
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