Dogs attack Southbroom woman

THE injured victim of a terrifying attack by two large dogs has appealed to local residents to take full responsibility for their pets.

Journalist Libby Cochrane, the adoring owner of two gentle little dogs, Molly and Bertie, was out walking with them in Southbroom last weekend when the dogs rushed out of a unsecured residential property and attacked them.

“I thought I would have to watch helplessly as they were shredded to bits. I was so very frightened and so were my poor little dogs,” the traumatised woman said.

As usual, being a responsible pet owner, Libby had ensured that Molly and Bertie were safely secured on leads. Aware of the dangers of walking in isolated places she had chosen a route that took her along a fairly busy Southbroom road through a well populated residential area.

She felt perfectly safe and was enjoying her stroll, totally unprepared for the assault. Both Molly and Bertie were bitten but were able to escape the worst of the aggression by taking partial cover under a bush. While trying to defend them from the sustained and vicious attack, Libby, who is slightly built, was bitten and pushed to the ground. It seemed like ages before her cries for help were heard and local residents on rushed to her aid.

Injured and bleeding, she was taken to a local doctor’s surgery where she was treated for puncture wounds, cracked ribs and severe abrasions. Battered, very frightened but thankfully alive, Molly and Bertie were recovered from their hiding place and taken to a local veterinarian where they were also treated for deep bite wound. Libby and her pets are all on courses of antibiotics because of the substantial threat of infection.

While treating her at his surgery, Libby’s doctor alerted her to another major concern. There was a possibility that the attacking dogs could be rabid. Should their rabies vaccinations not be up to date her pets could be at risk of being infected by the disease and she would need a very painful and unpleasant course of anti-rabies medication.

Her doctor told Libby that, rabies being a fatal disease, extreme precautions would need to be taken. The attacking dogs would have to be destroyed and their brains examined for any signs of the deadly and highly infectious disorder.

Fortunately the owner of the attacking dogs was found and he was able to produce valid rabies vaccination certificates.

“This horrible incident shows that it is imperative for dog owners to keep their pets under control at all times, to ensure the rabies vaccinations are up to date and to comply with pet-related by-laws. If it makes our streets safer by reminding people to be responsible pet owners then perhaps some good will come out of this ordeal,” said Libby.

She added that she had been overwhelmed by the care and support she had received from Southbroom residents after the attack and thanked her and her dogs’ rescuers and helpers. The kindness she had experienced had reminded once again that Southbroom was a very special, caring community.

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