West Lothian crime: Man and puppy badly injured in 'vicious' dog attack in Bathgate park

The injured pup’s owners have been left to pay thousands in vet bills

A dog and a man were ‘viciously’ attacked by another dog in a West Lothian park.

Gabor Szekely, 58, was walking his nearly two-year-old Jackapoo Lucy in Meadow Park, Bathgate, at around 10am on June 12, when the attack happened. Lucy was calmly playing with other dogs, his owner said, when a large Staffordshire Bull Terrier started running towards her. Mr Szekely heard the dog’s owner shouting ‘stop’, so he started running towards his pup, but by the time he reached Lucy, the terrier already had her hind leg in its mouth. He intervened, pulling the dog away from Lucy’s leg and was badly bitten in the process. By the time Mr Szekely had checked on Lucy, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and its owner had fled the scene.

Lucy was rushed to her local vets, but due to the extent of the damage, she was referred to the Dick Vet General Practice in Edinburgh for further treatment. She has undergone surgery to rebuild her paw, however, vets have warned her owners that she could still lose her leg. Gabor also needed medical treatment, and ended up being admitted to hospital overnight.

Lucy the Jackapoo and her owner were both badly injured in the dog attack at Meadow Park in Bathgate.

Carole Murray, Lucy’s other owner, said: "It was such a vicious attack, not only on a dog, but also on a human being. It was really distressing”. She described the behaviour of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s owner as ‘disgraceful’, and asked: “What would be have done if it was a child?”. The 57-year-old said: "I'm hoping he has a conscience and I'm hoping he'll come forward but I doubt it”.

Carole said she’ll never take Lucy back to Meadow Park again, as she fears the dog who attacked her may be local to the area. She said Lucy won’t be let off the lead for a long time, and said: “It’s not that we don’t trust her, we don’t trust other dogs”.

Lucy’s vet treatment is set to cost Carole and Gabor more than £5,000, and, if she requires amputation, they will have to pay an extra £10,000. The couple have already lost income, as Gabor, who is self-employed, was unable to work for nearly a week due to his injuries. “It’s going to be a very difficult time financially”, Carole said. However, while the costs are extortionate, Carole feels they are worth it to help her beloved pet. She said: “Lucy is our only very much loved pet, she is a huge part of our lives and everyone who knows her loves her.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Around 4.10pm on Tuesday, 13 June, we received a report of a 58-year-old man and a dog injured by another dog in the Meadow Park area of Bathgate. The incident happened on Monday, 12 June. The man was taken to St John’s Hospital in Livingston for treatment. Enquiries are ongoing.”

Carole has set up a fundraiser to help with the costs of Lucy’s vet treatment. You can donate by visiting her JustGiving page.