Dog has chest ripped open on mystery sharp object during walk in Wilverley Inclosure in New Forest

A DOG had his chest ripped open by a mystery sharp object during a walk at Wilverley Inclosure.

Sarah May had been enjoying a walk with her three spaniels, Chip, Jessie and Finley, last Saturday around 11am when the incident happened.

“We had just come down the hill when Finley bounded off down a dirt track," she said.

“He came back shaking and I could see blood on his foot. I went to him and realised that the whole of his chest was cut open, there was blood everywhere with muscle and tissue clearly visible.

“It was an awful sight. I took my coat off and tried to wrap it round him like a bandage to stop the blood but it was pouring out of him.”

Finley, a five-year-old sprocker, had gone into shock, and with no one around Mrs May had to carry him back up the hill towards the car park while her two other dogs trotted beside her.

She said: “He weighs 19kgs and it was a real struggle. By the time I reached the top I was utterly exhausted and in shock myself.

“I was covered in blood and crying. I really thought he was going to die in my arms. He had just qualified as a therapy dog and I was saying to him: "Please don't die Finley, we've got so many people to help.'"

A family on holiday came to her aid, comforting her while she phoned husband Jerry who was back at the couple's home in Ashley to tell him what had happened.

She said: “I must have looked like something out of a horror film. I was shaking, crying, with Finley’s blood everywhere. They were very nice and sat with me until Jerry appeared.”

The couple rushed Finley to Seadown vets in Hythe for emergency surgery.

"I had just lost it completely by then," continued Mrs May. "The vets were shocked at how bad the injury was – Finley had an eight-inch slash to his chest.”

Fortunately the operation went well and Finley is now recovering.

Mrs May reported the incident to Forestry England who sent rangers out to search the area where Finley was injured to see if they could find what had cut him.

“They sent me a message saying they hadn’t found anything," she said. "I don’t know what it could have been.

“It worries me because it could hurt another dog, so I would like other people to know what happened to Finley so they can be careful in that area."

A spokesperson for Forestry England said: “FE’s local team takes reports of this nature very seriously and we hope the injured dog makes a speedy and full recovery. We do not have any further information on how the injury was sustained.

“Our advice to members of the public is always to ensure dogs are kept close by and in sight, and they should contact us as land managers if there is a concern about the forest environment.”