A vicious thug stabbed a dog twice in the head – and then tried to hang it in a Huddersfield canal lock.
But amazingly, the two-year-old dog survived and was rescued by firefighters and police.
Now the dog – nicknamed Donald – is on the mend at a Yorkshire animal rescue sanctuary after emergency treatment.
And police have appealed for help in trying to catch the thugs responsible.
Joanne Brydon, of the rescue centre, said: “It is an absolutely horrific case.
How anyone could do this to a dog is beyond me.
“He or she certainly intended to kill the dog, firstly by stabbing him in the face down to the bone and secondly by hanging him with a rope from the canal lock gate.
“He is very lucky to survive.
“He is a lovely dog, not at all aggressive, and he is on the mend. He will be with us for some time as he needs care and attention and further medical treatment.”
The centre has set up a fund to help meet the costs of Donald’s treatment and well-wishers can contribute via the bank account 42280116 (sprt code 40-23-12).
Vet Rachel Tweedle, who works at Donaldsons’ Aspley surgery, operated on the dog.
She said: “The police brought him in after rescuing him with the fire brigade from the lock. He was wet through and had blood pouring from his face.
“I had to stitch up his wounds under general anaesthetic but he should recover.
“It is a horrible thing that someone has tried to do.”
She said police officers nicknamed the dog Gareth, after one of their fellow officers, before he was renamed Donald at the rescue centre.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they are investigating the attack.
A spokesman said: “We got the call at 6pm on Tuesday, June 26, to Lock 8 of the Huddersfield Canal at Fartown.
“It was a report that a dog had been found hanging from the lock. The dog was rescued by the fire service and taken to a local vet as the animal had gashes to its face and a leg injury.’’
Anyone with information should contact the Huddersfield South Neighbourhood Policing Team via 101.
