Tamworth Regional Council begs for responsible pet ownership after dog attacks in Kootingal and Hillvue

Sally-Anne Whitten was walking her two dogs Ralph and Hank in Hillvue, like she does everyday, when a vicious dog with no leash or owner in sight attacked her pets.

Ms Whitten said the "large angry dog" went straight for the attack with no interest in making friends.

"It went for Ralph the kelpie first, it just went straight for his throat," she said.

Ms Whitten and her husband managed to remove Ralph from the dog's mouth before it started attacking their terrier, Hank.

"It picked Hank up around the middle and shook him like they do with rabbits to try and kill their prey," she said.

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"If our neighbour didn't come out when he did I think the dog would have come for us as well."

They feared for their beloved furbabies lives and raced Hank and Ralph to the vet for help with their serious injuries.

Ms Whitten said Ralph had blood pouring out his ear and Hank was "very distressed" and covered in bite marks when they made it to the clinic.

It's the second incident in just a week after a dog was killed in Kootingal after being attacked by two roaming dogs.

Tamworth Regional Council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker said the dogs had been seized and are being held at council's companion animal shelter while staff try and locate the owners.

The dogs are not microchipped or registered.

Legally, the shelter must hold the dogs for seven days while trying to locate the owners, but once that time is up a decision will be made about whether or not to euthanise the animals, Ms Vereker said.

If the owners are found, "significant penalties and fines" will be applied.

"If we do find the owners they have the right to say we want those dogs back home," Ms Vereker said.

"If that happens we'd declare those dogs as 'dangerous' and they would have to be fully enclosed within their yards."

Traumatised by the attack on her dogs, Ms Whitten said she was pleading with owners across the city to be more responsible with their pets.

"It's just really irresponsible and I'm really angry," she said.

"We've been hit with a massive vet bill through no fault of our own."

Ralph and Hank are still recovering from their injuries, and Ms Whitten said she was thinking of engaging a dog trainer to help bring her pets back to their friendly and outgoing selves.

"They're both very skittish," she said.

"We're a bit worried about whether that it has changed their personalities because they'll now be so wary."

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