A FAMILY has been left distraught after their chihuahua was killed by two other dogs right in front of them.

Catherine Denny, 40, her partner Jason Smith, 44, and their children Bobby, 13, and ten-year-old Lavinia, of Eastwood, were enjoyable a lovely walk with their two dogs in Ed Hall Park, Leigh, on Sunday.

However, suddenly two large Rhodesian Ridgebacks who were not on leads appeared and grabbed seven-year-old Chihuahua Tink.

Catherine said: “It was horrific.

“I was hysterical, my children were hysterical.

“My partner managed to grab the dogs by their collars and pull them off.

“The woman who owned them was just standing there.

“He tried to give Tink mouth-to-mouth but it was too late.

“I will never be able to forget her screams, or the screams of my children.”

The family took Tink home and buried her, but were shocked by the lack of empathy shown by the woman.

Catherine said: “She just said ‘I suppose I will have to put muzzles on them now’.

“She didn’t ask if we were OK, or ask for our details.

2If that had been me, I would have been mortified.”

She is calling for people to be aware of the two dogs in case they attack again, and also thinks the laws need to change.

Currently, a dog attacking another dog is not necessarily a crime, unless the dog can be proven to be dangerously out of control in a public area.

Catherine believes that this does not go far enough and should be changed to reflect that if a dog attacks and kills another dog, it could do the same to a child.

She said: “Those dogs could easily have attacked one of my children.

“Apparently the dogs were wearing electric collars, but that isn’t enough.

“What does it take before something is done about these dogs?

“My children are never going to forget what they saw.

“My son doesn’t want to leave her grave at night because he doesn’t want to leave her alone. The whole family, including Sam, 17, who was at home at the time, are devastated.”

A spokesman from Essex Police said: "Police were contacted with reports a dog had been attacked by another dog in a field in Bosworth Road, Leigh-on-Sea, at about 12.10pm on August 13. It sadly died before it could receive veterinary treatment.

"Officers spoke with the dog owner and from the information provided, advised this would be a civil matter. Officers took a statement from the owner to assist them if they wished to take the matter to the civil court."