A DOG owner told how her beloved pet was left with cuts to his head and paws after being attacked.

Justine Carr, 42, of Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, was walking nine-month-old puppy Arfa along Snakes Lane - near to the David Lloyd gym - when she spotted a man with a German Shepherd.

She decided to carry on walking, but heard the man shouting to his dog.

Concerned, she picked up Arfa. The next thing Justine remembers is the German Shepherd jumping up and biting her tiny pooch.

Justine said: “I thought he was dead. I was expecting to look down and see a leg hanging off or something.

“He had a hole in his head where the dog had bitten him.

“I have bruises on the back of my legs from where he jumped up at me.

“I hate to think what could have happened if I hadn’t picked him up.”

The chihuahua and Jack Russell cross was left with two cuts to his head and a cut to his paw.

He was rushed to the vets where the wounds were cleaned and he was given a course of antibiotics.

The treatment cost £400.

Justine said: “To give him his due, the owner did stop afterwards and gave me his name and phone number when he could have just carried on walking.

“However, the phone number is coming up as non existent.

“I don’t know whether he gave me a wrong number or if I wrote it down wrong, but I want to get in touch with him.

“He needs to keep his dog on a lead or wearing a muzzle.

“He must know his dog does that as he was shouting for it to come back.

“His dog really wanted to get to mine.

“Imagine if that was a child he bit?”

The incident took place at about 1pm on Wednesday.

Justine added that she does not want the German Shepherd to be put down - but wants the owner to get in touch with her, or anyone who might know who it was.

She added: “It would obviously be nice if he could contribute to the vet’s bills.

“I don’t want anything to happen to the dog.

“I have had German Shepherds in the past and they are lovely dogs, as long as they are brought up correctly and trained properly.

“It is the owner’s fault, not the dog’s.”

She added that Arfa is recovering from his ordeal, but she is concerned about how he will react the next time he sees a German Shepherd as he is only a young puppy.

Anyone who knows who the male owner of the German Shepherd involved in the attack could be or who saw what happened can call Justine on 07808029497.

The incident had not been reported to the police by the time the Echo went to print.