Help sought with £23k vets bill after dog attack

Lynn Holdom and her husband Alan Bamford with Ruby the dog

A family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help cover vets bills totalling £23,000 after their dog was attacked in a park.

Lynn Holdom said she was willing to sell her house if it came to it, describing her nine-month-old cockapoo Ruby as part of the family.

Ms Holdom said her pet was attacked by another dog on 27 April in Sycamore Park in Kingsbury, Warwickshire, while being taken on a walk by her daughter.

Ruby, the Kingsbury resident added, was left fighting for her life, undergoing several operations as well as blood transfusions at a veterinary surgery in Solihull.

Mrs Holdom said: “She had a five-hour operation, which was touch and go. She had to have all her insides put back together again and she had a spinal fracture.

“She came through all that.”

She added: “All the time, she’s wagging her tail - she’s such a little star, it’s unbelievable."

But despite the progress, funds were needed. Mrs Holdom thanked everyone who had contributed so far.

The veterinary surgery said it was unable to comment as a matter of customer confidentiality.

Ruby underwent surgery following the attack on 27 April

Mrs Holdom said her daughter was also injured during the attack while trying to separate Ruby from the other dog, a Jack Russell type.

She said her daughter was now frightened to go out to exercise her own two dogs.

"It's so sad," she said.

Ruby will be confined to a cage until she starts to get better

Mrs Holdom said she had been disappointed with the response of the authorities, claiming police had not yet visited the owners of the other dog.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "We are currently investigating an alleged dog bite incident which took place in The Green, Kingsbury, on 27 April between [16:00 and 17:30 BST], during which a dog was reportedly attacked by an off-lead dog.

"The owner’s hand was allegedly bitten while the dogs were being separated.

"Inquiries are ongoing."