A HORRIFIED dog owner has spoken out after his beloved pet suffered serious injuries in an unprovoked attack near a Swindon park.

Stephen Townsend felt sickened and angry when he learned that a violent mutt off its leash had mauled his deaf 10-year-old cocker spaniel Doodle near Coate Water on Saturday afternoon.

The injured pooch could have died if not for the quick thinking of his ex-wife's elderly father, who was walking the dog at the time and fought off the Staffordshire bullterrier which had clamped its teeth into Doodle's legs and stomach.

Stephen said: "She is the most timid and harmless little thing you could ever meet, she would not say boo to a goose.

"She was out on her usual walk around the back of Broome Manor Golf Course when out of nowhere, a Staffie with a harness on but no lead tried to kill her.

"My ex-father-in-law kicked and grabbed the dog until it let go of Doodle. He's terribly shaken up about it all, what he's seen won't leave his mind, he saved her life.

"A golfer helped him carry her to the car as she was bleeding badly, but the Staffie's owner just ran off."

Stephen and his ex-wife had gone to London for a concert over the weekend but cancelled their plans and returned home right away when they heard about what happened.

The vet took Doodle into intensive care on Saturday night. On Sunday, her condition worsened and her owners feared this could be the end, but after having a blood transfusion, she is now stable and comfortable.

Exploratory operations will help determine the full extent of the damage caused.

She has extreme swelling in her back legs, and abdominal injuries, and could potentially suffer permanent skin loss on one back leg - or have it amputated entirely.

Swindon Advertiser:

Stephen added: "We are looking at huge vet bills but, luckily, we can afford them, that's not the problem.

"The problem is the other dog. It's dangerous, it now has a taste for blood - if it didn't already - and its owner does not care if it attacks others.

"I'm so angry. Hopefully the owner is found because things could have been even worse - other people walk their dogs in that area, and what if it had attacked a child?"

The incident is being reported to the area's dog warden.

Swindon Advertiser: