Norwich dog attack leaves family paying thousands in vet bills

Alison Donnell, who lives in Mount Pleasant, learned that her three-year-old Goldendoodle - called Juno - had been attacked by another dog at Earlham Park while she was on holiday.

Alison's dogsitter, Jackie Eastaugh, was walking Juno on August 31 at around 11am near Earlham Park Café when the incident happened.

Juno is a three-year-old Goldendoodle (Image: Alison Donnell)

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Jackie, 67, said: "I was walking towards the woods near UEA and there were a couple of women sitting on the café seats.

"A Golden Labrador came running towards Juno and one of the woman shouted 'she may go for her'.

"Before I knew it she had bitten Juno.

Alison Donnell, who lives in Mount Pleasant, said Things aren't great at the moment because it's taking a while to heal (Image: Alison Donnell)

"I managed to get her away but she felt really poorly because of an infection from the bite.

"I felt awful because Juno is such a lovely natured dog.

"If the owner knew she might go after Juno, why wasn't the dog on a lead?"

After multiple trips to the vets, Alison has built up a bill of £2,000.

Alison, a professor of modern literatures at UEA, said: "Things aren't great at the moment because the wound is taking a while to heal.

Juno now has a 12cm puncture wound above her right hip after the attack (Image: Alison Donnell)

"It's one puncture wound, but there was an abscess that had to be flushed out and cleaned, so now it's about 12cm.

"It's terrible Juno has had to go through this and I'm not sure if there will be any long-term effects on her personality - she has such a lovely, trusting nature - so we don't know yet.

"I've taken Juno to the park since we've had her, basically every day, because I've always felt safe and there are responsible owners there.

The family has wracked up £2,000 in vet bills after the wound got infected (Image: Alison Donnell)

READ MORE: Police on the hunt after 'dangerously out of control' dog attack

"But this has made me feel very anxious about walking her around the park in the future.

"I'm extremely angry and upset at the owner of the Labrador for not taking responsibilty.

"If they can't control it why is it not either muzzled or on a lead? They were oblivious and showed no concern about what happened."

Alison said the owner of the attacking dog were oblivious and showed no concern about what happened (Image: Alison Donnell)