27 April 2023 , 07:49
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An XL Bully and a Rottweiler savagely attacked a man, his dad and his pet, as he screamed "he’s killing my dog!".
Gavin Stone had been out walking his 11-year-old Tibetan Terrier Rocky in Wightwick, near Wolverhampton, at 7am on Saturday, 22, April.
But instead of enjoying a lovely, early morning weekend walk, they were attacked by two dogs in a mauling that left "blood everywhere" and Gavin fearing Rocky was dead.
During the brutal dog attack, Gavin was knocked over and Rocky was thrown in the air.
Gavin, 45, said: "It was just after 7am and I took him on his normal walk, I'd only been out for two minutes when it happened. It was where Torvale Road meets Grove Lane. I got to the corner and saw the first dog which was a Rottweiler. I could see it hadn't got a collar or a lead."
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Gavin Stone and his dad Gary were both injured in the attack (Martin O'Callaghan / Birmingham Live)He told BirminghamLive: "It seemed like a friendly dog. It just looked and turned around, and I kind of froze because I thought 'What do I do?'.
"Something made me turn back, I got about five feet and I turned around and the other was running full pelt and it knocked me over.
"It absolutely savaged Rocky, it threw him in the air. I got my hands in the dog's face trying to pull its jaws open, I could see a lot of blood. Rocky managed to get out of his harness, then the dog got Rocky's whole head in its mouth.
"The dog must've been about six or seven stone - it was absolutely massive. I was fighting them for about 10 minutes. The Rottweiler wasn't the main aggressor, but it did join in and when I got the main one off the other was having a go.
One of the injuries Gavin suffered in the brutal attack (Martin O'Callaghan / Birmingham Live)"I was screaming and shouting for help, saying 'he's killing my dog, he's killing my dog'. After 10 minutes my dog just went completely limp and I thought he'd died. He was not moving at all. I thought he'd bled to death."
Gavin rang his mum for help and his dad Gary drove to them.
At this point, Rocky had jumped up and fled onto a driveway, but was chased by the XL Bully who, along with the Rottweiler, both bit Gary, leaving him with injuries to his face and feet.
Dad Gary rushed to the attack to try and help (Martin O'Callaghan / Birmingham Live)Gary managed to get Rocky into his car and they raced to the vets. They dropped Rocky off and went back to the scene to collect Gavin's glasses and other items which he'd dropped.
Police and paramedics were called and the dogs were seized while Gavin and Gary were taken to hospital.
"I'm about 5ft11ins and 16 stone, and in under five minutes I was shattered [from fighting the dogs off], it was like a wrestling match.
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"I had to have my hand stitched up ad my fingernails had broken off.
At one point Gavin feared his dog was dead (Martin O'Callaghan / Birmingham Live)"My dad is bruised and his face and feet were bitten. We had to both have a tetanus injection and antibiotics."
Rocky had to go under anaesthetic to be stitched back up. He had injuries to his mouth, ears, neck, legs, and tail area.
He was allowed home, but has been taken back to the vets multiple times for fluids.
Rocky wracked up a vets bill of between £4,000-£5,000 (Martin O'Callaghan / Birmingham Live)Gavin added: "He is getting slowly better each day, he's still not eating though. I must've walked that same route 10,000 times and that has never happened."
Gavin was originally told the vets' bill would be about £1,700, but Rocky needed more treatment over the following days. He was last told the total could be up to £5,000 - but his insurance will only cover £3,000.
The family launched a fundraising page and shared what had happened and within hours thousands of pounds had been raised.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We’re investigating after two men were injured in a dog attack in Wolverhampton. The men were walking their own dog when it was attacked by two other dogs at the junction of Torvale Road and Grove Lane.
"The men intervened but were bitten and left with injuries to their hands, arms and face. Their dog was also seriously injured.
"The two dogs involved in the attack have now been seized by officers and remain in our secure kennels while the investigation continues. The owner of the dogs has been spoken to by officers and the investigation continues.
"Anyone with information has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat quoting 20/367422/23."
Jamie Arrowsmith, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "We were called to reports of two patients who had suffered dog bite injuries at 8.19am on Saturday, one ambulance attended the scene. On arrival we discovered two male patients, both of whom were treated for injuries not believed to be serious before being taken to New Cross Hospital."
To donate to the fundraising page, click here.