An Aberdeen woman has urged dog owners to take more responsibility for their pets after her horse was attacked by a canine who was off its lead.
Chloe Ogg made the plea after her 13-year-old “lovely boy” Jimbo was attacked at Greenferns Farm near Northfield yesterday, with the incident being reported to both the police and the SSPCA.
The horse suffered five wounds in the attack by a black dog that was seen by a witness running about the field with no owner in sight.
Jimbo suffered injuries to a back leg, his nose, a shoulder and stomach, with the wounds needing to be stitched up by a vet.
His worst injury was to its shoulder, which happened next to its muscle, with the animal needing to be sedated and given antibiotics due to what happened.
Miss Ogg, who was not there at the time of the injury, said: “I was just at work and got a call to say your horse has just been mauled by a dog. You cannot imagine the state I was in.
“I just think it’s absolutely ridiculous that this has managed to happen, especially when that person has no idea how expensive the vet bills are. No money in the world could make up for it if my horse was to be lost in that situation.”
‘Worried sick’
As well as Jimbo’s injury, Miss Ogg’s friend’s horse Diva was also injured in the attack, suffering deep cuts on both her nose and leg.
Despite the area being well-known by local dog walkers, this was the first time that the horses have been attacked, with the owner describing the incident as being “so sad”.
“How can I trust going to my work and not getting another phone call that the dog’s reappeared? Does that person even know that their dog’s done this? I’m worried sick and can’t stop thinking about it,” Miss Ogg added.
Due to the actions of the dog, Miss Ogg is worried that Jimbo will be traumatised when he sees her one-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Skye.
Urging people to keep their dogs on leads, she said: “Even if your dog is trained, it just takes a slight thing to snap their attention and they’re gone and they don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.”
A police spokesman said: “We received a report of a horse having been attacked by a dog at a farm in Aberdeen on Friday, May 12, with the incident having happened on Thursday, May 11.
“Inquiries at are an early stage.”
Conversation