WHEN mother-of-one Liane Devine heard that her Oxford neighbour’s dog had been attacked she wanted to do something about it.

The attack left pensioner Pauline Cooper, 70, of Nicholas Avenue, Marston, facing vets’ bills of £5,000 and ongoing costs of £80 a week.

Her poodle Lara was seriously hurt when it was attacked by Alsatians in August in Rippington Drive, Marston.

The vets’ bill for Mrs Cooper and her husband Ronald came to about £5,000 and she said they are paying about £80 a week for treatment.

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Miss Devine, 33, who lives in Fairfax Avenue, Marston, with partner Christopher Glynn and their son Lorcan, three, decided to help by setting up a fundraising page on website fundrazr.com.

So far people have pledged more than £220 towards the target of £3,000. Miss Devine told the Oxford Mail last night: “She is facing a big bill through no fault of her own and I thought I would try to raise donations to help cover the costs.”

Mum-of-one and grandmother-of-seven Mrs Cooper, 70, said: “I don’t like asking for money at all, but we are pensioners and have no other income.

“I can’t believe how wonderful people have been.”

Miss Devine set up the site on Thursday and donations of £140 came in on the first day.

Since the attack on Mrs Cooper’s dog there have been further reports of dog-on-dog incidents.

On Tuesday, we revealed that Dave Hook, from Marston, had been bitten on the jaw as he rescued a woman’s mixed terrier, which died following the attack.

Mrs Cooper’s poodle Lara survived a previous attack by what are to be believed are the same dogs back in August.

Police said they had found no breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act as it was a dog-on-dog incident where no people were hurt.

This latest incident comes as further dog attacks have also been reported in Witney.

Lynn Kilby said her Airedale terrier was set upon last month.

She said: “I was walking my two Airedales down the same route I always do when six to eight Alsatians, all off of a lead, ran towards us and landed on one of my dogs, Henry, and went crazy on him.

“I thought he had died.”

Jamie Thorp from Witney said his black Labrador Harley was attacked just two weeks ago, adding: “It was horrendous to watch.”

Police said they were keeping an open mind about whether they were linked to the incidents in Marston.

Spokeswoman Connie Primmer said: “Following the incidents in Marston, there will be a multi-agency meeting next week involving Thames Valley Police, the RSPCA, the council dog warden and the antisocial behaviour intervention team.

“After that meeting we will be able to confirm whether there is a criminal investigation taking place.”

  • To make a donation, visit fundrazr.com and type Pauline into the search panel.

 

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