Dog put down after family pet suffers serious injuries

There was "blood everywhere" when Sasha was attacked

A dog has been put down following an attack that left a family's pet seriously injured and at risk of death.

Asia Marszalec, 54, was walking her cross-breed terrier Sasha near South Park in Darlington on 17 March when an off-lead German shepherd mauled her dog.

Rescue dog Sasha required 63 stitches to save her life, but has been left with a number of infections and an open wound.

Durham Police said an investigation took place and it was agreed that the offending dog would be euthanised.

Sasha's owners: Asia, left, with Gareth, Naomi and Gabi

"There was bite after bite, there was blood everywhere. It was terrifying," said Asia's partner Gareth Rees, who is father to Naomi, 9, and Gabi, 7.

The 18-month-old pet, who was rescued as a street dog in Poland, had been on a lead when a German shepherd "darted" towards her.

As it attacked, Sasha slipped from her lead and jumped into nearby River Skerne in a bid to escape.

She needed emergency treatment for wounds to her abdomen, back and leg, and infections.

Mr Rees said: "Her injuries were so bad, it was infected and now there's a lot of dead skin which is falling off, some fell off in the vets yesterday.

"There's a big hole and you can see inside her body basically".

Sasha has been left with various infections

The family's vet bill has exceeded £2,000 and is likely to increase with further treatment.

An online fundraiser has been set up to help cover the costs, but Mr Rees said it could take up to six months for Sasha to fully recover.

"We are going every single day to get her wound treated, it can’t be covered. She needs round-the-clock care," he said.

"The vets have told us that [the bill] will run into multiple thousands and it's been two weeks since the accident and it's already up to that".

The attack comes just weeks after a family pet was left with serious injuries after being attacked on Redcar beach.

Marie Hay's husky Naevia was left "pouring with blood" after it was set upon by two bulldog-type dogs.

She previously urged dog owners to keep their animals on a lead, unless they are confident they will return when called.

Mr Rees has been receiving support from Ms Hay and echoed her calls.

"I don't believe in having a nanny state and introducing new laws every week but we wouldn't need it if people were sensible," he said.

He believes dog owners should ensure their pets have a recall and they should use a muzzle if not.

It could take up to six months for Sasha to fully recover

Durham Police said it had investigated the report of a dog attack.

"Both parties agreed to a community resolution, which resulted in the euthanisation of the offending animal," it added.

Earlier this month, a BBC investigation revealed the number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales had risen by more than a third.

Last year, there were nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury. In 2018, there were just over 16,000.

The UK's dog population is estimated to have risen by only 15% in that time.

Police said they had seen more reports of dangerous dogs as a result of specific work by specialist officers.