Dublin woman reveals how dad’s Yorkshire Terrier was ‘nearly decapitated’ in vicious attack

Megan Keating’s dad Patrick (72) was on his way home from a walk with his three dogs around Ronanstown, Dublin when another large dog “savagely and violently” attacked his 11-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Gucci.

Another one of the dogs was also attacked but escaped unharmed.

The offending dog had run out from its owner’s garden after a makeshift side door was knocked down during Storm Debi.

It was not accompanied by its owner during the incident, which took place at around 6am yesterday, Monday, November 13.

The dog is believed to be a Restricted Breed, meaning it must be muzzled and kept on a leash at all times.

Mr Keating has been left “traumatised” by the shocking attack, his daughter Megan told sundayworld.com.

“This attack went on for over half an hour. In those situations, a minute feels like an hour, so I can’t even imagine what 30 minutes of that felt like.

“My dad couldn’t get the dog off and had to listen to his dog being mauled to death. His dog died in that other dog’s mouth. The poor little thing, light as a feather, was nearly decapitated.

“He was kicking the dog, trying to think of anything to stop a dog attack. He got so tired that he had to lean up against a wall in case he passed out. My dad is 6ft2in and he’s strong enough, but this dog had a taste for blood and would not stop.

“It’s just really traumatising for him. I haven’t seen my dad cry since my mam died but today he rang me roaring crying. He’s been up since 3am and was saying, ‘How am I meant to sleep when I can just hear him screaming in my head? I was absolutely helpless and couldn’t get him off.’

“He can’t sleep, he hasn’t really eaten, he’s not well. His head’s all over the place.”

Megan claimed that her dad contacted gardaí a number of times before they responded and eventually arrived at the scene and took the offending dog to the pound.

She and her family were left unimpressed by the lack of action taken by gardaí and the council’s Dog Warden.

“The Dog Warden said to us that there are no laws in Ireland that if a dog kills another dog, it can’t be returned to the owner or has to be put down.

“The Dog Warden was out at our house this morning but there’s nothing he can do unless there was a witness. The dog will be released from the pound and that will be it. The owner will be free to do whatever he wants with the dog.

“This dog could potentially be going home to its owner today. It shouldn’t be allowed to go home while we had to bury ours. We had to bury a member of our family.”

Megan said that her family had interacted with the owner of the “monster” hound that attacked Gucci and learned that he was a “backyard breeder” as she called for an update to laws concerning dangerous dogs.

“He was bragging about it, saying he’s been breeding these dogs for 30 years and sells them to America and England.

“So, he has a back garden full of these things... I have neighbours contacting me that are terrified.

“Thank god that storm was going on, because if it wasn’t, there could have been a child walking to school around that time.

“The laws need to change in Ireland for something as vicious as that dog. Dogs can snap, but the fact that this dog wouldn’t stop until Gucci was dead.

“I’m not having a 72-year-old crying because he had to go through such a traumatic event. For an animal to die like that is just diabolical,” she added.

A garda spokesperson confirmed that they had received a report of a dog attack on another dog in the Ronanstown area yesterday.

“The offending dog has been transferred to the Dog Warden and this matter is being managed by the local authority,” they said.

South Dublin City Council has also been contacted for comment.