Ollie The Dog May Have To Be Put Down After Hawk Attack
Ollie, a four year old Jack Russell, may have to be put down, after a Harris hawk swooped down and ripped off his tongue while he was out walking with his owner.
Ollie was enjoying a walk with his owner, Ian Farquhar, when the Harris hawk, which was undergoing training, darted from the sky and ripped out his tongue, leaving him howling and covered in blood.
Ian, who is a gardener, now has to make the horrifying decision whether or not to have Ollie put down after vets told his that he will have to hand-feed his beloved pet for the rest of his life. Ian said that he was out having a nice walk with Ollie and his other dog, Rocky, when the hawk came from nowhere and hooked his claws into Ollie; he said that at first he thought it was another dog attacking Ollie but on closer inspection, he realised that it was a large bird.
Ian said that he started crying trying to help Ollie, who was wailing and absolutely covered in blood; the hawk’s owner came running down the road and took the bird off the small defenceless dog, but it quickly became apparent that it was clutching Ollie’s tongue in its mouth.
Ollie’s owner said that he was absolutely devastated and also angry that the hawk owner was training the bird in an area that is popular with dog owners. The owner of the hawk said that he would pay for the vet’s bills, but Mr Farquhar said that it was not about the money. Ollie was taken to Parkside Veterinary Practice in Dundee and he has been cared for the veterinary team since Friday.
Mr Farquhar said that unless Ollie learns to eat without the use of his tongue he will have to be hand-fed for the rest of his life, which will severely affect his quality of life. Ollie may not even be able to drink on his own and this could mean that he has to be bottle-fed; his owner said that the incident had “destroyed” both his and his dog’s lives.
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