Video: Investigation by council after ‘dogs attack’ pet

Paul Millar took 16-month-old Brooke for a walk along the shoreline opposite Trooperslane on Monday afternoon of last week.

“I got Brooke when she was eight weeks old and she’s very friendly, very well behaved,” said Paul, from the North Road area of the town.

“I take her down there for walks quite a bit and she’s run along that beach many times off the lead.

“After I’d parked, I could see someone else on the beach with two rottweilers but I didn’t think anything of it at the time; when I’m down there with Brooke there’ll be other people out with their dogs and she will play with them.”

Letting Brooke out of the car, Paul noticed the other walker trying to get his attention.

“The woman with the rottweilers was waving her arms at me and shouting at me not to let my dog out, but Brooke had already taken off down the beach,” he alleged.

“Straight away I could see the two dogs chasing Brooke back towards me, and within a few seconds they had caught her.

“One of them clamped down on her neck and the other on her side.

“It was obvious they weren’t just playing with her and were trying to maul her; she was yelping and obviously in a lot of pain.

“I was screaming for them to stop and trying to get them to let go; it was horrendous.”

During his attempts to rescue the family pet, Paul was allegedly bitten on the hand by one of the rottweilers.

“Eventually they let her go and I was able to get her back in the car.

“At this stage the woman had reached me and had grabbed the dogs by the scruff of the neck,” Paul added.

Claiming the fellow dog-owner then left the area, Paul returned to the car to attend to Brooke.

“She was terrified and was obviously badly injured,” he said.

“I took her up to the vets and they took her straight in; I then went up to the health centre where I got a tetanus shot because of the bite on my hand.”

Brooke’s injuries included puncture wounds to her neck and side, requiring minor surgery and stitches.

The family pet is currently being given painkilling medication and has to wear a protective shield around her neck.

“I’m unemployed at the moment and the vet’s bill came to nearly £500, which I’ve had to pay,” said Paul.

“That’s bad enough, but I just want justice for my dog.

“I don’t want this to happen again to someone else’s pet.”

A spokesperson for Carrickfergus Borough Council confirmed to the Carrick Times on Tuesday that it is currently investigating the complaint by Mr Millar.

The local government authority is also presently reviewing its policy on dog control zones in order to bring it into line with neighbouring council areas, the spokesperson added.