EXCLUSIVE: A tiny dog was fighting for her life after she was ‘viciously attacked’ in the street by a much bigger breed previously described as being like an XL bully ‘on steroids’
A tiny dog was left with its organs exposed during an innocent dog walk after a horrific attack by a suspected Cane Corso-type breed that was the worst vets had ever seen.
Leila Williams, 41, an operations manager for the NHS, and her 4kg dog Luna, a Jackapoo, were strolling along George Street in Brighton on June 29. But the owner had no idea the area would soon look like a “crime scene” and her pet would be left bleeding heavily with a severed kidney and her organs exposed. She claimed a huge dog leapt out of a shop before “viciously attacking” her pet who somehow survived the onslaught – but only just.
Lynn Heasman, who is friends with Leila and is Luna’s dog walker, has started a GoFundMe to help with hefty vet fees. Explaining the dangerous dog incident, she said: “The dog locked its jaws around Luna as bystanders looked on in horror. Leila screamed for help.
“Luna was critically injured and bleeding heavily. Her internal organs were exposed. Her renal artery had been torn. The street looked like a crime scene.”
And remembering in her own words, Leila, who is based in Brighton, told the Mirror: “Absolutely terrified… We had no warning. He didn’t seek to interact with her, just went straight to bite her. Her tiny body was dwarfed by this 40kg cross breed dog.
“I had her lead looped around my left wrist as we walked along a road in central Brighton to go and meet a friend. So I was connected to Luna the whole time she was being attacked, right at my feet, it happened so quickly I couldn’t get between them. I was absolutely powerless to stop this dog trying to kill her.
“The attack has left me with post traumatic stress and has sadly made me nervous of walking Luna around other dogs now that she is well enough to do so. It has sucked out all the joy I used to get from our walks together.”
Luna, who is five, was left looking lifeless. Leila said a kind couple drove them to Coastway Vets in a desperate bid to keep her alive after the attacking dog was eventually pulled away by their owner.
Vets were left “horrified” by what greeted them after Luna arrived with a large bite mark, exposed intestines, a severed kidney floating in her abdomen and internal bleeding from the ruptured artery and crush injuries. According to Leila, the vets said it was the “worst dog attack they had ever seen”.
She was rushed into emergency surgery but halfway through the team rang Leila to say the damage was “more extensive than first thought”.
Leila had to decide whether to keep going, and without hesitation she asked them to do everything they could. It proved to be the right call.
Her friend Lynn said: “It was touch and go. No one thought Luna would survive the night. The next day she not only woke up but she wagged her tail. Against all odds, Luna was fighting back. Her spirit and resilience stunned the vet team and gave Leila hope.”
With each day, care costs rose, and Leila eventually learned that her pet insurance would only cover £2,500, and her current vet bill is over £7,500.
A GoFundMe has now been set up to help with Luna’s life-saving treatment and writing on the page, Lynn said: “Leila is unbelievably grateful to Coastway Vets, Kemptown and the kind strangers who helped that day. Without them, Luna would not be here. We hope this community-powered platform can help ease some of the financial pressure, so Leila can focus fully on Luna’s recovery. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”
Leila said her dog’s recovery was “nothing short of miraculous” and she has been utterly overwhelmed by the response so far, with over 100 people making donations. She added: “I am genuinely so touched that people are prepared to help in such a kind way. It has restored my faith in society.
“I am also so grateful to the couple that drove me to the vets, and to Coastway vets in Kemptown who saved Luna’s life.”
Luna is now recovering at home after a seven night stay in the vets, but she needs ongoing care because of the loss of one of her kidneys.
Leila said a police investigation is underway and she wants to one day see a change in the law that makes dog on dog injuries easier to prosecute as a criminal offence.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police told us: “Police are investigating an incident where a dog is reported to have attacked another dog in George Street, Brighton, on Sunday, 29 June. A Jack Russell / Toy Poodle cross suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a dog, believed to be a Cane Corso-type breed.
“Officers have engaged with the victim, the owner of the aggressor dog – who lives in South London – and witnesses to understand the full circumstances. The investigation is ongoing at this time.”
There has been a spike of interest in Cane Corsos because of XL bully ownership restrictions, and Rob Alleyne, who runs the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, warned: “The Cane Corso is like an XL bully on steroids. It’s a killing machine and they’ve become much more popular now.”
You can make a GoFundMe donation to help Luna by clicking here