Dog seriously injured in Royston German Shepherd attack

Katie Marshall's dog Honey, who turns two in November, was attacked by another dog in the doorway of their home on Monday, September 16.

Katie said: "I was about to take Honey for a walk. We hadn’t even got out of the front door, and he [the German Shepherd] was there on a retraction lead.

Honey before the attack (Image: Katie Marshall)

"He’d managed to pull away from the owner and grab Honey from inside the door. He got a lockjaw on Honey and dragged her backwards and wouldn’t let go."

Katie said the attack was "over pretty quickly", but that the damage was "significant".

"He disfigured her. Her tail drooped and needed to be stitched back together," Katie said.

"She’s due for another surgery in two weeks. The first surgery hasn’t done as well as they thought it would and the skin has died.

"Hopefully she’ll then be on the road to recovery.

"My dog is only seven kilos, she’s a toy poodle. She’s tiny. She now requires 24-hour care for weeks and weeks."

Katie explained how the attack has affected the whole family, saying it has forced them to cancel their holiday - on which they were due to fly out on Monday.

She said the attack also traumatised her three-year-old and one-year-old.

The family has lost money as a result of cancelling the holiday, as well as having to pay for Honey's vet bills.

Speaking about the German Shepherd, Katie said: "The dog is aggressive. It’s an out of control dog that needs to be muzzled and on a lead."

Police are now investigating the incident and asking for witnesses to get in touch with information.

A Herts police spokesperson said: "At around 9am on Monday, September 16, it was reported that a large dog, which was on an extendable lead, attacked a smaller dog on Orpington Road, causing an injury which required surgery.

"Enquiries continue, and anyone with information is asked to please call 101 or report online, quoting crime reference 41/78304/24."