Gold Coast dog attack: Family devastated after an American pit bull terrier battered their cavoodle to death
A devastated family is mourning the loss of their cavoodle, who was viciously mauled to death by a wild dog, leaving them with a hefty vet bill.
Monday started like any other for Scott Pepper and the family's beloved dog, Lola. They set out on the same walk they have done every day for the past five-and-a-half years around their Biggera Waters neighborhood on the Gold Coast.
But their morning walk turned to horror when a grey-brown American pit bull terrier jumped Lola from behind rubbish bins.
Lola didn't stand a chance during the merciless attack and unfortunately died from her injuries a day later.
“I picked up a bowl and was swatting the dog but he just kept coming,” Mr Pepper told police Gold Coast Bulletin.
Lola, a beloved Cavoodle who belongs to a Gold Coast family, was fatally destroyed by another dog
'A man in a car stopped to help, but then he came back and circled me.
'If it hadn't been for the bin, she (Lola) would have been dead and I would have been in hospital.'
While fighting off the attacker, Mr. Pepper lost sight of his pet and was shocked to find Lola had disappeared.
The seriously injured pet was found under the wheel of a car at a nearby petrol station by a member of the public, who rushed her to the vet.
Lola suffered multiple injuries, including six bite wounds to her abdomen, broken ribs, ruptured lungs, a tear in her heart and had to have her gallbladder removed.
Unfortunately, she succumbed to the shock on Tuesday morning.
A 'shocked' Mr Pepper said it was like losing a human member of his family.
Adding insult to injury from the staggering $17,000 vet bill is the fact that the dog responsible for the attack has not yet been seized and remains with its owner.
Mr Pepper claimed he knocked on the suspected owner's door but received no response.
He is now on a mission to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.
“I'll spend the rest of my life making sure that dog doesn't hurt anyone else if I have to,” he said.
“It could be a child that was murdered.”
Lola (pictured with Scott's daughter Lacey) was believed to be one member of the family who has now been left with a huge vet bill due to the failed attempts to save her life
Mr Pepper said Gold Coast City Council officers subsequently visited the property but claimed he was told they would not be informed of the outcome.
The council confirmed an investigation was underway, but added that no dog had been seized.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the council for comment.
Pet owners face a $774 fine if they own a vicious animal that attacks another person or animal and causes injuries.
As a result of the savage attack, Lola suffered multiple injuries and eventually succumbed to shock