Eastbourne mum’s horror after dog gores puppy in park

Kimberley Smith was walking her 11-month-old cockerpoo in Shinewater Park when the incident happened on Thursday (August 20). She said, “It was absolutely horrendous. It was so violent. I was in so much shock and so frightened.” Kimberley was just leaving the park by the play area with her pup Baxter walking beside her on a lead at around 6.10pm. She said, “My dog is very friendly, but he hadn’t spotted this dog. “It came bounding towards us dragging its owner on the lead. It was a huge dog, it knocked me to the ground and got hold of Baxter. “It grabbed hold of his neck and started flinging him around like a rag doll.” The owners – a man and a woman – eventually managed to pull the dog away, which she said was a German Shepherd. “I was huddled over Baxter,” Kimberley said, “I was trying to shield him. “Because I was in such shock I didn’t know what to do.” She asked the man for his name and number, which he provided her with and walked away. “His neck was hanging off,” said Kimberley, “There was around 10 children watching, they ran over to me to help.” Of them, she is particularly grateful to one little boy who helped her carry Baxter to the edge of the park so her partner could pick them up and rush them to the vets. She said, “He was very grown up for a young lad to deal with such injuries on an animal and a grown adult shaking and crying. He comforted us both.” Baxter was in surgery for three hours, she said, and spent the night in the dog hospital. The puppy had to have stitches all down his neck and needed 24 hour care afterwards. Now he is feeling a little sorry for himself, but seems to be recovering, she said. “I understand dogs fight when they play,” she said, “There was none of that, it wasn’t playing. It had its attack face on.” Kimberley says she has got bruises on her leg from when the dog’s lead dragged across her – but the dog did not attack her. She has since tried to contact the owner but says her number has been blocked. She said, “There are fields everywhere, if you know your dog is dangerous, don’t take them to a park with loads of children and dog walkers. And muzzle it. “A responsible dog owner also wouldn’t have left me.” Baxter seems to be back to his old self but Kimberley says, since the incident, she keeps looking over her shoulder, thinking she will come across the dog again. She says she is desperate to find the boy who helped to thank him. The incident has been reported to the police. A spokesperson for Sussex Police said, “Police are investigating a report of a dog being bitten by another dog in Shinewater Park, Eastbourne about 6.10pm on Thursday. “The victim’s dog is described as a Cockerpoo and the other dog a German Shepherd.” Anyone who witnessed what happened or who has any information that could assist with enquiries can report online at www.sussex.police.uk or call 101, quoting serial 1298 of 20/08.