A COUPLE whose dog was injured in a savage park attack have been hit by a staggering £23,000 vet bill after the treatment.
Lynn Holdom and Alan Bamford are now trying to re-mortgage their home to pay the sum.
But the distraught husband and wife may be forced to sell their home to keep their pet, named Ruby, alive.
The “beautiful” young cockapoo pup was being walked by the couple’s daughter Kayleigh in the children’s play area of Sycamore Park near Birmingham.
Horror struck as Ruby was set upon by a Jack Russell cross “in for the kill” on Saturday, April 27.
Screams were heard from the recreational area as the dog shook and bit Ruby, tearing out her stomach and fracturing her back.
After refusing the option to put down the 16-week-old, the couple waited anxiously as she fought for her life in intensive care and underwent a major operation.
“It’s been absolutely horrendous. She’s literally been ripped apart,” Lynn, 64, told BirminghamLive.
“We walk that park every Saturday, there’s lots of children there, lots of dogs; there’s never been a problem. She was walking round the edge of the park and all of a sudden this girl let go of the lead and this dog came running across and just tried to kill her, made Kayleigh’s hand all bleed,” recalled Lynn.
“I think he might have thought she was a rabbit or whatever – but he was in for the kill. It literally ripped her intestines out, it fractured her back.
“Kayleigh was totally distressed she couldn’t get the dog off her and couldn’t get the dog off her own hand.
“A man heard Kayleigh screaming and came round from one of the houses to help.
“I have had a comment ‘I heard the screaming, it was horrendous.’ In the end, she got hold of it and kicked the dog.”
As the nearest vets was closed at that time of day, they had to drive for almost an hour to one in Solihull.
Kayleigh also had to attend hospital for treatment and jabs as her hand was bleeding and swollen.
Lyn said that Ruby was “lucky to be alive” given her horrific injuries.
They were initially told the bill would be £6,000, which shot up to £12,000 when vets realised Ruby also had a fractured spine where the dog “shook her”, Lynn explained.
“We carried on, we said: ‘We’ll have to re-mortgage the house.’ It was touch and go until Tuesday but she came through; what a little fighter.”
Every day, it was costing the couple another £300 – £400 for vet care.
She also underwent blood transfusions, was in ICU all week after the bite was close to her spine.
Ruby, who was gifted for Alan’s 75th birthday and Mother’s Day, was finally able to return home on May 7.
Lyn continued: “I think they’re aware we can’t keep paying this kind of money, you can’t just pick out £20,000, can you?
“Yesterday, our bill had come to £23k. We don’t know how we’re going to do it.
“But if she’s made it from the park to the vets, bleeding out, how could we not give her the chance?
“We said we’d sell the house. I don’t know where we’d go, but we would sell the house to keep her alive. My husband and I, that’s our attitude, that’s a house, she’s a living thing.”
She has since started a GoFundMe page for help which you can contribute to here.
Lyn was keen to stress that the vets had been “absolutely wonderful”, taking every measure to save Ruby’s life and sending regular photo and video updates along the way.
Meanwhile, the hound who attacked Ruby is still walking the streets, with the husband and wife now fearing the worst.
Lyn added: “This dog is roaming the streets. who is it going to attack next?
“I can’t believe the justice in this country now. If that was an XL Bully, they’d have been there and that dog would have been put down by now.”
Warwickshire Police confirmed it is investigating allegations of an attack where a pet was “reportedly attacked by an off-lead dog.”
Get Cover
Insurance is the best way to protect against shock bills.
Use a comparison website and increase your voluntary excess to try to bring down costs.
Don’t allow your insurance to lapse because if there is a gap in cover, you might find it difficult to get insurance with another company.
Some health conditions common to particular breeds will also be excluded.
Make sure you read the small print carefully so you know the limits – there will normally be a cap on the total that can be paid out for a particular condition or in an emergency.
While insurance can protect against emergencies, it won’t pay for regular check-ups, jabs, flea and worming treatment and there are normally caps on payouts.
Help if you’re on benefits
If you are on Universal Credit or other low-income benefits, you might be able to get free vet help via the PDSA or Blue Cross — use the eligibility and postcode checkers on their websites.
Non-profit group Animal Trust runs practices that don’t charge consultation fees — only for treatment or meds.
See if there’s one near you at animaltrust.org.uk.
Get free advice
Vet apps mean you can get advice 24/7 and save money on in-person appointments if the problem can be dealt with remotely.
The Joii app has a free symptom checker and you don’t have to pay for consultations with a nurse.
PocketVet offers pay-as-you-go consultations for £14.99 each.
Check your pets at home
A paw to tail examination of your dog after every walk can avoid unnecessary and costly trips to the vet.
Finding grass seeds, cuts and parasites early can prevent them from becoming a bigger issue later on
The Kennel Club has a free guide full of handy tips on how to care for your dog day-to-day.
It includes instructions on how to clean your dog’s teeth and important information on spotting potentially nasty lumps and bumps.
