Seal Mauls Labrador

Faline · #1 ● 10-09-2012, 05:17 PM

A pet owner watched in horror as his dog was mauled to death after being dragged under water by a seal.
Matthew Will, 21, had taken his labrador Fly to an Aberdeenshire beach so his dog could fetch the bodies of ducks that he was shooting.
As Fly ran into the water to pick up a bird a seal pulled the three-year-old dog beneath the water and ripped into it.
Mr Will ran into the water to try and save his pet but it was too late for Fly, who had suffered fatal injuries.
The dog died after he was attacked in the North Sea near Newburgh, Aberdeenshire.
Mr Will, of Inverugie, Peterhead, said: 'There was a sudden and terrific thrashing and howling in the water.
'I shone my torch towards where Fly had gone in to bring out the duck.
'But 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.'
Fly was killed by the seal on Friday evening after running into the water at the mouth of the Tarty Burn river.
Local environmentalist Bob Davis said attacks by seals were very rare and unusual.
He said: 'Seals are fish-eaters, and the attack on the dog may have been a defensive response.'
Local fishery manager Audrey Forbes-Clarke said warning signs had now been installed.
Normally regarded as adorable sea creatures, the grey seal (known as the hook-nosed sea pig) is actually a formidable creature.
Bulls can reach 8 to 11 ft long and weigh between 170–310 kg, while the cows are much smaller, typically sized between 5 and 6.6 ft long and reaching between 100 to 190 kg in weight.
The grey seal breeds in colonies around the northern coasts of Great Britain and Ireland and are protected by a Conservation Act.
The curious creatures, who can be seen basking on rocks and on sand, typically eat shellfish, fish and octopus.