Beloved dog killed in Labrador attack

By Callan Date
AN 80-YEAR-OLD Junction Village woman has had to have her dog put down after two other dogs mauled it.
Zara Hawkins was told by a vet her 13-year-old kelpie Zac had suffered major internal bleeding and was in traumatic shock from the attack that occurred on Tuesday last week.
Her close friend Kaye Sutherland was walking the dog in Jennifer Street when it was set-upon by two Labrador cross breeds being walked by a young boy.
“The kid walking the dogs was almost skiing behind them. He had no control at all,” Ms Sutherland said.
She said the attack had left her in a state of shock.
“It was unbelievable. One of the dogs locked on to Zac’s neck with its jaw and the boy had to get down on his hands and knees and try to prise it open,” Ms Sutherland said.
Ms Hawkins described her kelpie as her eyes and ears and said she was still struggling to come to terms with the loss of her much-loved pet.
“I am just dumb-founded. I have been here for 38 years and nothing like this has ever happened before,” a distressed Ms Hawkins said.
Further enraging the elderly resident is the treatment she claims she has received from officials at Casey Council since her pet was mauled.
“I reported it to the ranger but they never called me back,” Ms Hawkins said.
Ms Hawkins’s comments come only a week after Casey mayor Kevin Bradford called for dog-owners to exercise greater control over their dogs.
“What are they doing when they don’t come and see the person who made the complaint,” Ms Hawkins said.
Jarrod Doake, Casey Council’s acting manager of customer service, said both parties involved in the incident reported the injuries to the dog as minor at the time.
“Council’s investigation of the matter found that the alleged offending dogs were registered, were being walked on a lead at the time and there had been no prior similar incidents of this nature,” Mr Doake said.
He said council had unsuccessfully attempted to contact Ms Hawkins but would continue to try.
“Council officers will also be following up with a personal visit,” he said.