Couple may have to sell house as they face £23,000 vet bill after puppy mauled by dog

A couple are facing a whopping £23,000 vet bill after their new puppy was ‘torn apart’ in a savage attack in a park. Lynn Holdom and Alan Bamford were forced to sell their house.

The couple are trying to re-mortgage their home to pay off the amount, but if they can’t, they may have to sell to pay for their pup Ruby’s life-saving treatment, BirminghamLive reports. The tiny cockapoo was attacked by a Jack Russell cross who went in “for the kill” at Kingsbury Water Park in North Warwickshire.

Screams could be heard through the park as the dog allegedly lashed out and bit her, ripping out her stomach and fracturing her back. The couple, who were given the dog by their family, refused to put the 16-week-old puppy down.

READ MORE: HGV ‘Fireball’ near Coventry as 999 crews head to M6

Read more: Beauty lovers say a bath “makes your skin feel out of this world” with the “deep cleansing” set

So he underwent major surgery to save his life and spent time in intensive care. This is while, the couple say, the dog responsible for the attack continues to “walk the streets”.

Their ‘beautiful’ pup Ruby was being walked by the couple’s daughter Kayleigh in the Sycamore Park children’s play area when the incident happened at around 5pm on Saturday 27 April. “It was absolutely awful. She was literally torn apart,” he said. Lynn, aged 64.

“We walk in that park every Saturday, there’s a lot of kids there, a lot of dogs – it’s never been a problem. She was walking on the edge of the park and all of a sudden this girl let go of the lead and this dog came running. along and just tried to kill her, it made Kayleigh’s hand bleed,” Lynn recalled.

“I think he would have thought she was a rabbit or whatever – but he was out to kill. He literally ripped out his intestines, fractured his back. Kayleigh was totally distraught – she couldn’t get the dog off her and she couldn’t. don’t let the dog off her own hand.

“A man heard Kayleigh screaming and came from one of the houses to help. I had one comment: “I heard the screams, it was awful.” Finally she got hold of him and hit the dog.”

After she was seriously injured, the family faced more trauma as nearby vets were closed. The nearest was in Solihull, almost an hour’s drive away. Kayleigh needed hospital treatment and shots as her hand was bleeding and swelling.

“Ruby’s tongue was hanging out, bleeding,” Lynn said. “He did 55 minutes, bleeding, wrapped up and still wagging his tail.

“After the vets stabilized her, she underwent major surgery overnight to ‘get it all right again.’ She is lucky to be alive.

“The vet called and said, do you want us to put her down? He broke our hearts. She is so sweet and we just couldn’t, we have to give her a chance. life from someone who fought for her life like that.”

The couple were initially told the bill would be £6,000, but this later rose to £12,000 when vets realized Ruby also had a fractured spine where the dog had ‘shook her’ . “I went on, I said, ‘We’re going to have to remortgage the house.’ It was touch and go until Tuesday but she pulled through, what a little fighter, Lynn explained.

But the costs continued to mount as it was costing him between £300 and £400 a day for veterinary care. Ruby also had blood transfusions and was in the ICU all week due to the bite being so close to her spine.

The pup, who was given as a gift for Alan’s 75th birthday and Mother’s Day, was finally able to return home on May 7. “I think they are aware that we can’t keep paying that kind of money – you can’t just pick £. 20,000 you can yesterday our bill came to £23,000 we don’t know how we’re going to do it,” explained Lynn.

Now they’ve started a GoFundMe page to help pay the bill. “But if he came from the park to the vets bleeding, how can we not give him a chance? I said we would sell the house. I don’t know where we would go, but we would sell to keep her alive, my husband and I, this is our attitude, this is a house, she is a living being”.

She stressed that despite the huge toll, the vets were “absolutely amazing”, taking every step to save Ruby’s life and sending regular photo and video updates along the way. Now, with Ruby recovering at home, they want action taken against the dog she says attacked her.

“This dog is roaming the streets. Who is he going to attack next? I can’t believe the justice in this country right now,” Lynn said.

“If this had been an XL Bully he would have been there and that dog would have been put down by now.” Warwickshire Police confirmed they are investigating.

A statement from the force said: “We are currently investigating an alleged dog bite incident which took place in The Green, Kingsbury, on April 27 between 4pm and 5.30pm, during which a dog was attacked by an off-lead dog.

“The owner’s hand was allegedly bitten while the dogs were being separated. Investigations are ongoing.

“If anyone has information or footage that could assist our investigation please contact us, quoting incident 294 of April 27.”

Sign up here for our FREE daily newsletter for all the latest news on Coventry .