A man has been left devastated after his elderly lurcher was attacked and fatally injured by another dog.

Howard Denby, 60, of Marsden, was walking 12-year-old Murphy in a country lane near his home when the white Boxer pounced from behind.

The young Boxer jumped on Murphy, pinning him down and biting him.

The Boxer’s owner bundled the dog back into his van and drove off, leaving Howard to cope with the badly injured Murphy.

Murphy had suffered such terrible injuries that Howard took the heart-breaking decision to put him to sleep.

Howard Denby, of Marsden, with Murphy the lurcher (right) who was attacked by a Boxer dog off Binn Lane, Marsden, and had to be put down.

Howard said the attack was unprovoked and neither he nor Murphy saw what was coming.

“If this had been a child they could have been seriously injured,” said Howard. “This has ruined my Christmas and left me devastated.

“But if I didn’t speak out and this dog killed or injured a child I would not be able to live with myself.”

Murphy was attacked off Binn Lane, close to Wessenden reservoir, at around teatime on Wednesday, December 13.

He was taken to the emergency vets and died the following day.

Howard said: “The Boxer dog came from behind us and didn’t make any noise. He jumped on Murphy’s back and was biting him and pinning him down.

“Because Murphy was on the lead he couldn’t run away or protect himself.

Murphy had to be put down after being attacked by another dog off Binn Lane, Marsden.

“The next thing I heard was the owner saying he would get the dog back in the van and I thought he meant he would put the dog in the van and come back. But he just drove off up the lane.

“It was totally unprovoked and over so quickly. I struggled to get Murphy to the vet’s but it was clear he was badly injured.”

Howard said the Boxer’s owner drove a white van, which he believed was a Ford Transit, and he had seen him driving around the area before with the dog in the passenger seat. He thought he must live locally.

“I have no animosity towards the dog because dogs will be dogs,” said Howard. “There are no such things as bad dogs, only bad owners.”

Howard said he intended to report what happened to the dog warden service and wanted to warn other dog owners and those with young children to beware.

He added: “Sadly there were no witnesses to this attack and the police are unable to do anything.

“The vet said Murphy already had rheumatism and would need painkillers for weeks or months so I reluctantly made the decision to put him out of his pain.

“That was the last good thing I could do for my beautiful best friend.”