A Dawesville couple has been left heartbroken after their much-loved pet disappeared following a brutal dog attack in Melros on Friday.
Writing to the Mandurah Mail, Mark and Sandy Higgins detailed the incident in the hope of making people aware of their experience, and to thank those who helped them throughout the ordeal.
“Our small shitzu/maltese/poodle, Gus, loved going to the beach and running on the sand, in the water and socialising with other dogs and people,” they wrote.
“He was very friendly and never a threat to anyone.
“On Good Friday, as usual we took him to the designated dog beach at Melros / Florida. Nearing the end of our walk and on the way back to our car, Gus, who had had a good run around was lying on the sand close to us when he was attacked by a much larger bull terrier X.
“The other dog grabbed Gus around the abdomen and shook him like a ragdoll. When we managed to prise the other dog off Gus he bolted along the beach into the bushy sand-dunes and hasn’t been seen since, despite many hours of searching.”
The Higgins said the savage and unprovoked attack was horrific, but the thought of Gus being scared and in pain broke their hearts.
“We wouldn’t want anyone else to go through it,” they said.
“Gus will remain in our hearts forever as we come to terms with the very real possibility of never seeing him again. We will always be looking out for him and cling to the hope that somehow he may be found, if only to give us closure.
“The worst part in this horrible story is that it should never have happened.
“If you have a dog, or in this case are looking after someone else’s dog and are unsure of how it will react to other dogs or people in public, please keep it on a firm leash at all times.
“The positive to come out of this, is confirmation of the amazing, caring community we live in and we would like to sincerely thank the huge number of wonderful people who have helped search for Gus and for the many messages of support.
“It really is a comfort to know there are so many people that care.”
Anyone with information on Gus is asked to contact editor.mandurahmail@fairfaxmedia.com.au.