Dog owner watches in horror as labrador mauled to death by seal at beach

SWNS

A dog owner has told how he could only look on in horror as his pet labrador was mauled to death by a seal at a beach in Scotland.

Matthew Will, 21, had taken his labrador, called Fly, to the beach to fetch the bodies of ducks he had been shooting from the surf.

But as the three-year-old dog dashed into the sea near Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, it was aggressively attacked by a seal, according to The Sun.

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Mr Will told the Daily Mail: "This huge seal, more than twice the size of the dog, was flinging Fly around and pulling him under the water. I was horrified. The seal was enormous.

"Both his hind legs were completely crushed and mangled, his rib cage smashed and his left eye torn out. He was pouring with blood and in spasms of agony.

"I'm still trying to come to terms with it all. Now I just want to warn other dog-owners of the danger so that they won't have to face the same anguish and horror that I have."

He said that the extent of the dog's injuries left no other option than to have him put down.

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According to the BBC, warning signs - reading "Beware: seals may attack dogs in water" - had been erected, but were vandalised and removed.

Although they look cute, grey seal bulls can reach 8 to 11 ft long and weigh between 170–310 kg, making them rather formidable creatures.

However, they usually stick to a diet of shellfish, fish and octopus, leading local environmentalist Bob Davis to say attacks by seals are very rare and unusual.

He told the Daily Mail: "Seals are fish-eaters, and the attack on the dog may have been a defensive response."

SWNS

According to the BBC, Scottish SPCA Ch Supt Mike Flynn added: "While it is extremely rare for a seal to attack a dog, we would always urge pet owners to be particularly careful when there are wild animals nearby."

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