A DOG owner today admitted he fears a German shepherd which attacked his pet leaving him with a £2,000 vet's bill could strike again.

A DOG owner today admitted he fears a German shepherd which attacked his pet leaving him with a £2,000 vet's bill could strike again.

Alan Tovell, of Fountain Road, Ipswich, was walking his Springer Spaniel Yo-yo in Bobbits Lane at around 3.40pm on Tuesday .

He saw a man in his 20s with a middle-aged woman and a long-haired German shepherd dog which was muzzled but not on a leash.

Mr Tovell said as soon as the Alsatian saw Yo-yo it charged towards her, leaving her lying on her back and in obvious pain.

He said: “I tried to put myself in between the two dogs but they moved around me and the big dog hit Yo-yo with a lot of force.

He said: “She let out the most horrendous howl I have ever heard and she was lying on her back and shaking and obviously in a great deal of pain.

“As soon as it happened the man put the dog on a leash and vanished. The woman asked me if my dog was alright and I replied 'does she look alright?' - then she walked off as well.”

Mr Tovell carried Yo-yo home before calling police and the vet, who told him to take her to a specialist vet in Fakenham.

He said: “She had several fractured bones and needed an emergency operation. It has cost me £1,700 so far and there will be more expense for after-care, it will easily cost more than £2,000.

“I would like them to take responsibility for this and pay my vet's bills - but they are obviously not responsible dog owners or they would not have walked off.

“I am very worried for the safety of other dogs which are walked on the lane, or the country park nearby.

“The next day I returned and spoke to some dog owners and one said his dog had been attacked by an identical-sounding German shepherd and he knows of two others who also had their dogs attacked.

“The owners, whoever they are, obviously know it is dangerous because it was muzzled - but it shouldn't have been off its leash.”

He described the dog as a beige, long-haired German shepherd. The woman walking it was in her 40s with grey, longish hair.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said: “We have received a report of an incident where a dog was attacked by another dog.

“We would appeal for the owners of the German shepherd to make themselves known to police, or if anyone recognises them from the description they should contact the east Babergh safer neighbourhood team on 01473 613500.”

What do you think? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveninstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk