'Heartbroken' mum's appeal as dog had to be put down due to horrific injuries sustained in attack
A single mother is asking for the public's help after her dog is said to have been assaulted and had to be put to sleep due to its horrific injuries.
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Evangeline Ecclestone has shared an appeal on social media with 'absolute horror and heartbreak' pleading for any information that may help after the incident, which has been reported to Staffordshire Police.
Officers have said they are yet to find evidence that the pair's dog, a Chihuahua named Reggie, was assaulted.
Evangeline believes someone climbed over the fence into her garden at her home in Rising Brook, Stafford at around 4.30pm on Sunday shortly after she let out her two dogs.
She heard Reggie yelp, and ran outside to find her little pup had suffered serious injuries to his face with his 'jaw hanging off'.
Evangeline said she rushed Reggie to a vet clinic in Penkridge but sadly nothing could be done to save him, and he was put to sleep.
Her mother, Joanne, spoke to the Express & Star whilst she was putting up posters around the neighbourhood.
"We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken," Joanne said. "Reggie was a Chihuahua cross Pomeranian so they can be nippy but they are protective, and he was very protective of Evie's three-year-old son, Rupert.
"The police have not got a leg to stand on. There's no camera footage, how can you get proof of who it was? Even if we do get an inkling or a tip off, it's about catching them in the act.
"Somebody will have surely mentioned it to another person and said what they did, maybe bragged about it, and we are asking that person to come forward.
"We're not going to stop until we find who did this."
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "It is believed that the unknown person in the back garden assaulted the dog before leaving the area.
"We’re continuing to carry out enquiries in the area as part of our investigation to find out what happened to the dog and we’re keen to speak to anyone with any information that can help us.
"Call 101, quoting incident 635 of 29 December, or use Live Chat on our website. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
