Rescue dog Max recovering well after attack

Max, an eight-year-old Collie crossbreed, suffered a serious wound to his face after being bitten by a Labrador-type dog while out walking with his owner at Global Point, near Corr’s Corner, last week.

Brenda McCoubrey told the Times how her husband, Graham Cheadle, was exercising Max and their other dog - seven-year-old Golden Retriever, Paddy - off the lead when the incident happened on Tuesday afternoon (December 16) .

“He was walking the dogs back towards the car when he heard a woman shouting for her dog - a black Labrador cross, possibly called Shadow.

“It came over to our dogs and snapped so my husband asked the owner to put it on a lead. She just said ‘It’s ok, there’s been no harm done’ and didn’t do it and that’s when it came back again and went for Max,” Brenda said.

The dog bit Max, clamping down on his face and causing a serious injury just below his right eye.

Graham put both of his dogs in the car and rushed Max to the vets in Glengormley where he had to undergo an emergency operation.

“There was extensive blood loss as he had severed an artery in his face,” Brenda continued. “By the time he arrived at the vets it was a bit of a bloodbath. Graham came home and he was covered in blood.”

The mother-of-three, who was grateful that her two eldest children, boys aged six and three, didn’t witness the horrific incident, said the family was worried that Max wouldn’t survive.

But thankfully after his operation and a course of antibiotics and painkillers he is now making a good recovery.

Relieved that her beloved rescue dog survived the attack, Brenda stressed that people who exercise their pets off-lead must be “responsible owners” and ensure that their dogs are properly trained and not a danger to other animals or people.

A council spokesperson confirmed that the dog warden is investigating the incident, which happened shortly after 3.45pm.

“Two women were walking with the dog which made the alleged attack. They tried calling it away, just before the attack. It is believed that they called it Shadow,” she said.

“The council is appealing for anyone with information about a black Labrador cross, possibly named Shadow, to contact them on 028 9034 0160 as they are very keen to trace the dog’s owners.”