An Angus woman says she has been left distraught after her chihuahua was mauled to death by five other dogs.
Linda Keith was walking her two pets, Mo and Smurf, through Montreathmont Forest – between Forfar and Montrose – on Wednesday afternoon when they were set upon.
Linda claims the dogs – which were being walked by another woman – began biting and snapping at Mo and Smurf.
The 48-year-old tried to keep her pets away from the pack by picking them up.
But she dropped Smurf, 10, and it is claimed the dogs continued attacking him – with his injuries proving fatal.
Police and the Angus dog warden have now launched an investigation into the incident.
Dogs ‘honed in’ on chihuahua during attack
Linda believes four of the animals involved were similar to bulldogs and the fifth was a larger mixed breed.
She told The Courier: “I didn’t even see them coming. My dogs didn’t get a chance to see them coming, either, they were just there.
“They all just honed in on Smurf.
“He didn’t even get a chance to stand up during the attack.
“There were five of them, one was a great big, massive dog – it would’ve been up past my waist.”
Linda, from Friockheim, says the woman walking the other dogs was only able to get three of them under control.
She said: “The woman was just walking along, she didn’t even try to hurry.
“She shouted that they were just playing, but you could tell from the noise that they weren’t.
“She came over but she was trying to get hold of these five dogs who were still frantically trying to get at my dog and carrying the other one like a prize.
“Eventually I managed to phone my partner Alan and phone the police.”
Linda says the woman with the dogs was allowed to leave without any action being taken, and the incident was passed to the dog warden.
The cafe worker said: “I’ve never been more disgusted in my life.
“The dog warden explained everything yesterday – he’s the only person responsible for every dog that gets reported in Angus.
“He doesn’t have a say on whether these dogs can be taken away or anything, all he can do is issue a warning or go to a court.”
‘Smurf was the only little bit of happiness I had left’
Linda is in recovery from a back operation, and the loss of Smurf has hit hard.
She said: “I was so naive, thinking I could protect my dogs by lifting them and also thinking people’s dogs got destroyed if anything like that happened.
“Smurf was the only little bit of happiness I had left and now he’s gone.
“I’ll never be able to forgive myself for letting those dogs kill mine.
“I’ll never be able to get his little face out my mind.”
Linda now plans to keep Mo inside her house and garden following the ordeal.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.50pm on Wednesday, police were called to a report of a dog having been killed following a dog attack in Montreathmont Forest, Forfar.
“Inquiries are ongoing and the dog warden for Angus Council has been made aware.”
An Angus Council spokesperson confirmed the dog warden – who is employed by the local authority – is looking into the incident.
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