A mum is searching for justice after the help canine of her 15-year-old son with disabilities was brutally mauled to demise earlier than their eyes by what seemed to be a Rottweiler and he now “relives” the traumatic episode on the identical time each night time.
Jane Chook, 48, from Scunthorpe, and her son Nicholas have been just a few minutes into their night canine stroll in February when their pet Yorkie Jack Russell cross, named Ruby, was viciously attacked and mauled to demise.
Nicholas suffers from paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), a dysfunction which is triggered by a defective immune system and might trigger a spread of signs together with nervousness, obsessive-compulsive dysfunction (OCD) and studying disabilities.
The 15-year-old punched and kicked the canine to attempt to cease the assault however Ruby, who was Nicholas’ “finest buddy” and an “emotional help canine” for him, needed to be put to sleep after the vet later found her kidney and spleen had been ruptured.
They mentioned the canine which attacked Ruby regarded like a Rottweiler and simply “appeared out of nowhere” earlier than latching on to her and lifting her into the air, inflicting extreme inside accidents.
CCTV footage of the assault was captured by one of many household’s neighbours – in it Jane may be heard shouting “get it off” and repeatedly calling for assist.
Jane, who lives along with her husband, Wayne Chook, 57, a metal employee, and her 4 sons, Alex, 20, Lewis, 17, Mathew, 15, and his twin brother Nicholas, mentioned no person has come ahead to apologise or assist cowl their £2,000 vet invoice.
She has reported the incident to Humberside Police and Lincolnshire Council, who’ve issued the proprietor with a warning and recommendation.
“She was his emotional help canine,” Jane advised PA Actual Life.
“Ruby was his finest buddy and she or he was there for him via thick and skinny.
“Having to make the choice to place her to sleep was simply terrible actually.”
Jane and Nicholas took their two canines, Ruby and Buddy, out for a night stroll at round 9.30pm on February 12 2024.
They determined to take a shortcut as a result of Jane wanted to choose up her elder son Lewis from the health club later that night.
It was not the primary time they’d taken the shortcut, a small pedestrian path in a residential space.
“It was a quiet night and there was no person about,” mentioned Jane.
Because the pair made their method down the trail, a big canine, which they described as a rottweiler, immediately appeared.
“We had no time to react in any way and it simply lunged straight onto Ruby,” she mentioned.
“Nicholas instantly tried to interrupt up the assault by punching and kicking the canine.”
However Jane was terrified the vicious hound would maul Nicholas, who was 14 on the time, and so advised him to take their different cross breed canine Buddy dwelling.
“I continued to scream for assist as a result of the canine simply wasn’t letting go and Ruby was yelping,” Jane continued.
A person appeared from the property however Jane mentioned he didn’t intervene till neighbours arrived with a flashlight.
“It was an enormous, robust canine, which we imagine was a rottweiler,” she added.
“It was lifting her within the air and inflicting inside accidents which we solely discovered later.”
The canine lastly loosened its grip on Ruby when the person began shouting, but it surely was too little too late.
Jane instantly rushed Ruby to an emergency vet service, wrapped in a towel from one of many neighbours.
“Right away the vet mentioned I have to warn you, that is severe,” she mentioned.
“Her accidents are extreme however we’ll do our greatest to patch her up.”
It took round three hours for the vet to stabilise Ruby and put together her for surgical procedure.
However the extent of Ruby’s accidents quickly grew to become clear.
She had been bitten a number of occasions with such power that it had torn via her organs.
“It was about 1.45am when she referred to as to say we’ve opened her up and her accidents are too extreme to hold on working,” she mentioned.
“Her kidney was torn in half and her spleen had been ruptured, so she mentioned it might merciless to hold on.
“‘Do you consent to placing her to sleep whereas she’s beneath sedation, as a result of it’s the kindest factor to do?’
“Clearly we have been utterly mortified at that time, as a result of we had not identified how dangerous it was.”
Her son Nicholas remains to be struggling to return to phrases with what occurred.
“For the reason that assault he’s simply not been capable of interact,” she mentioned.
“She slept on his mattress each night time and didn’t actually depart his facet.
“The aftermath for us is that each night, on the time of the assault, Nicholas is reliving it.
“It’s simply actually traumatic for him.”
Jane had been warned that the operation would value £2,000 whatever the final result, which her husband, Wayne paid on his bank card.
She mentioned no person has come ahead to apologise or supply any compensation.
“We’ve had no contact in any respect,” mentioned Jane.
“They haven’t come to see if we want any assist or something like that.
“We really feel prefer it’s actually unfair that one thing like this could occur and it looks like no-one is being held to account.
“They get to maintain their canine, whether or not it’s aggressive or not.”
The household have now launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to assist them repay the invoice.
“After we look again on the CCTV, you’ll be able to see the canine was alerted to our presence about 20 seconds earlier than we bought to the gate,” mentioned Jane.
“It should have heard the leads rattling and us speaking, after which as quickly as we approached it simply pounced.
“It knew we have been there, however we couldn’t see it as a result of it was darkish.”
To help Jane and her household go to: www.gofundme.com/f/pay-for-emergency-vet-ills-for-rubys-surgery
Jane contacted Humberside Police concerning the incident and has offered an announcement to them, however was advised it was a civil matter.
She has additionally reported the incident to the canine warden service at Lincolnshire Council, who confirmed they’ve issued a “warning/recommendation letter to the canine proprietor”.