Fundraiser launched after 'horrific' dog attack on puppy in Kettering's High Street

Donations have been flooding in to help a cockapoo puppy which was left with a fractured leg after being attacked by another dog.

Shoppers passing the former Gala Bingo in Kettering’s High Street stepped in after four-month-old Teddy and his male owner were bitten by what is thought to be a Staffordshire cross.

The couple who own Teddy were walking him on a lead near the Market Harborough Building Society when the dog ran across the High Street and launched the attack at about 11.20am on Friday.

Paul Goodyear, who has started a GoFundMe page to pay for veterinary bills, had been in Kettering town centre when he came across the aftermath of the incident.

He said: “I was at work in town. I heard all the palaver. The husband had been bitten and a lovely lady had already picked up the puppy.

"The puppy was just in shock. It had been bitten on its front leg. We took him straight to the vets and I left some money so they could do something for it.”

One witness who had been in the town centre said the attack had been ‘horrific’ and wished Teddy a speedy recovery.

Mr Goodyear was later contacted by Teddy’s owners to thank him and also explained they didn’t have pet insurance.

He said: “I’ve never done a funding page before but I wanted to help. They don’t have pet insurance and have been left with a £4,000 to £5,000 bill which is a lot of money.

"People don’t have that sort of money just hanging around.

"It pulls at the heartstrings. The attack was completely unnecessary and the owners have been left with a huge bill.”

He added: “I hope the dog isn’t affected by the attack.”

The ‘Please donate to help Teddy’ online fundraising page has so far raised £2,900 to pay for the pup’s treatment and operation early this week.

Four police officers attended the scene and were seen talking to a group outside the former Gala Bingo Hall with a light-brown dog that had been muzzled.

It is believed that the dog involved in the attack on Teddy had not been with its owner at the time of the incident.

A spokesman for Northants Police confirmed that a Staffordshire-type cross had been taken into police care until its owner could collect it.

They said: “It is believed that a light brown tanned dog, believed to be some sort of Staffordshire cross, however the exact breed is not known at this stage, has attacked another dog.

“As the dog’s owner intervened, he was bitten on the hand causing minor injuries, but his dog sustained more serious injuries and required medical treatment.

“However, the offending dog was not seized by officers. It was taken into police care until today when the owner, who had left the dog in the care of a friend, returns home.

“Investigations into this incident continue and anyone who witnessed the incident, and has yet to come forward, is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 23000558974.”