A GREYHOUND left fighting for its life after running into a "concealed" barbed wire fence has survived its ordeal and is now on the road to recovery.
Bubbles, a black, nine-year-old rescue dog, was featured on the front page of the Brentwood Gazette on February 13.
She had been seriously injured while walking off the leash in Weald Country Park with owner Louise Wood on February 2.
The poorly pooch suffered eight deep cuts to her body and required more than 100 stitches at House and Jackson Vets in Blackmore.
She also had to have an operation on February 25 to remove the dead skin from her most serious wound.
Although she is still draped in bandages, Bubbles is now expected to make a full recovery.
Mrs Wood, 47, of Crow Green Road, Pilgrims Hatch, said: "Bubbles is bandaged up and has to go to the vets every two days, although all the wounds are starting to heal up except one, which is 5cm long and 4cm wide under her front legs.
"The skin died on this wound and the stitches split so the skin had to be cut away leaving just muscle – it looks disgusting."
She added: "The dressing and bandaging has to be changed frequently but the vet is hoping that it should be able to heal itself from the inside – but so far so good."
Mrs Wood, a secretary at Bentley St Paul's Primary School, said Bubbles is starting to get back to her usual self.
"I have noticed a massive improvement although she's still on bed rest and can only go out on the lead but she looks so much better."
She added: "Everyone who's heard has been concerned.
"We even had a visitor from across the road to check that she was ok. She knocked on my door to ask after Bubbles and had brought her some dog biscuits.
"She also told me that she had heard of another dog from Hatch Road, a spaniel, who had been cut by a barbed wire fence in Weald Park.
"This is the third I've heard of since Bubbles got hurt so it must be quite common."
Mrs Wood is grateful to House and Jackson Vets for saving Bubbles but still has concerns about the fence which injured her pet.
"I want to see the fence changed as it is so dangerous as it is," said Mrs Wood, who claims it was hidden by grass and leaves.
"It would be safer if it had two strips of barbed wire at a higher level instead of three.
"I'm not going to take Bubbles back to that area again."
She added: "The reaction from some people who have said that my dog should have been on a lead is unfair – she was only 10 feet away from me and she's not badly behaved.
"Everyone has been shocked at the sight of Bubbles' injuries – they are horrendous."
A spokesman from Essex County Council, which owns Weald Country Park, had previously said it would liaise with the neighbouring landowner to discuss the fence.
This week, an Essex County Council spokesperson said: "We sympathise with the dog owner following this distressing incident.
"We have written to the landowner explaining what has happened and offering to advise and assist in order to prevent this from happening again.
"We are awaiting a response from the landowner."