Pet dog Woody mauled by blood-thirsty lurchers

The young family woke up from their sleep at around 2am yesterday morning to the vicious sounds of their dog being attacked in Lurgan’s Kilwilkie estate.

Family friend Aileen Murray-Marshall revealed on Facebook that neighbours alerted the family to the horrific attack.

It appears a group of young men were setting their lurchers on little Woody who was securely locked up in their garden.

Woody at the vets after suffering a traumatic attack

And she called for local people to help find ‘the scum’ who did this to her friend’s ‘poor wee dog’.

“They were woken around 2am this morning (Tuesday) by neighbours telling them their dog was set upon by young fellas letting their Lurches on her dog.

“Heartbroken isn’t the word.

“And her two young children area away to school traumatized.

Blood soaks into blankets as family tend to their injured dog

“How the scum could do this to a wee dog is beyond belief.

“To make matters worse how they got her dog out of her garden with her gate still locked.

“Theses evil boys knew what they were at.

“So if anybody in the Kilwilkie estate heard or seen anything we would appreciate any news,” she said, adding that family were fearful the dog would not pull through,

Poor Woody was taken to the vet and was immediately put on a drip and taken for X Rays.

The children’s grandmother thanked everyone for their support.

She said: “Thank you everyone - Woody is in the vets from early morning - he’s on a drip. We will know better in the morning when they X-ray him again.

“There are lumps out of him.

“The girls got visiting him in the vets. It’s my granddaughters Eabha’s dog - a much loved dog. Eabha has said she’ll be able to sleep tonight. It’s contented her seeing Woody.

“The another wee granddaughter Farrah Rose is just as upset.

“Again thank you all for your concern for wee Woody wood bags.”

‘Blooding’ lurchers and other hunting dogs is common among owners who use their dogs to hunt other animals such as foxes and hares.

Over the years, small dogs and kittens have gone missing in north Lurgan and many believe they have been stolen by hunters to ‘blood’ their hounds.