A PENSIONER watched in horror as her beloved pet was mauled to death by another dog in Chelmsford, an incident that also left her in hospital for five days.
When 70-year-old Sandra Lester saw the dog running towards her from nearby Murchison Close, she picked up her Yorkshire terrier Talulah to keep her safe.
But the unleashed dog, believed to be part mastiff, knocked her to the ground, latched on to Mrs Lester's pet and shook the terrier until it lay dead on the road. It also bit her so badly she needed 45 stitches to her hands.
"I keep having flashbacks of the thud of the dog hitting me from behind, the feel as it bit down into my fingers and the sound of the crunch as it put its jaws around my dog. The sound of her scream will live with me until the day I die," said Mrs Lester, who is now back home after spending five days at Broomfield Hospital.
"We need to change the laws on people who keep these dangerous dogs otherwise what value are we placing on human life? That dog is still alive and being kept in a kennel until its owner gives permission for it to be put down, whilst my little dog isn't here any more."
Mrs Lester had been walking her pet alone at 9.30am on Wednesday, September 18, a rarity as she and her friends usually keep to groups.
As she left the old playing field at the back of St Peter's College she noticed two women shouting as they tried to control a large dog.
The grandmother, who immediately picked up Talulah fearing for her safety, said: "The dog hit me from behind like a brick wall and I went down trying to hold my little baby dog out the way.
"I heard its jaws crunch her and then I heard her scream before it shook her, and then threw her down on the ground. "My hands were pouring with blood and I knew if I didn't get help soon I could lose a finger.
"But the two women who had been with the dog just shouted abuse at me; they didn't come to help until the dog had completely calmed down."
Neighbours ran out to help the injured woman who needed stitches, suffered a fractured thumb where a tooth had ground through the bone and may now face surgery if there is long-term nerve damage.
Mrs Lester's family now plan to move in with her at her Pines Road home, but she remains fearful of further attacks.
"I was told by staff at Broomfield that they see up to five children each month with serious injuries as a result of dog attacks.
"The rules have to change, that dog has tasted human blood and it should be put down immediately," added the former nurse.
"I don't care if I have to go to Downing Street with a placard by myself, I will not let this lie. I want to show my grandchildren, who don't understand what happened, that this can't go on."
A police spokesman said: "Inquiries are continuing. The dog was seized and remains in kennels pending the outcome of our investigation.
"If there are any witnesses with further information they should contact Chelmsford police station or call 101."
