A Yorkshire terrier was violently attacked by a much larger dog in the East Reading area, costing the owner thousands in vet bills.

Jennifer, the owner of the “Yorkie,” said that it took three fully grown adults to prise the small dog from the bull terriers’ jaws.

The other owner has also allegedly stated that the Yorkshire Terrier attacked their dog first, despite multiple witnesses stating otherwise.

The incident happened in Cintra Park where Jennifer has walked for over 20 years.

“I took her off the lead and she was sniffing around,” she said. “She never pays any attention to other dogs or people, anyone I know will tell you that.

“Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy walking two dogs. One was a bull-bread type cross, not an XL Bully. As they walked past the dog lunged and got my dog around the neck.”

The owner of the larger breed then jumped on the Bull Terrier which had the little dog in its jaws and was refusing to let it go.

Jennifer’s friend then ran forward and tried to prise the dog’s jaws open, and a passer-by intervened and grabbed the Bull Terrier’s hind legs.

It took three adults and almost two minutes for Sally the Yorkshire Terrier to be freed from the attack.

“When we finally got her free, she had been skinned around her neck,” Jennifer said. “It was liked she had a necklace of skin.”

After the incident, the owner of the Bull Terrier allegedly told the growing crowd of onlookers “It’s not my fault, that dog attacked my dog first.”

Jennifer and her friend then rushed her injured pet to Shinfield Vets, who told her that the procedure was going to be “very difficult.”

Sally underwent a four-hour operation and has had to regularly visit the vets for the past two weeks.

“It’s a miracle that she survived,” the vet said. “The only reason for this is that three people were on the dog so it couldn’t start shaking Sally.”

The vet also told Jennifer that “little phases her,” but when she saw the extent of Sally’s injuries “her stomach turned.”

Jennifer has currently had to pay £4500 in vet bills and expects that she will have to pay a great deal more.

“She still needs more treatments and procedures,” she said. “If it ends up being less than £10,000 I will be surprised.”

Jennifer has subsequently contacted the police and the dog warden who both say there is little they can do due to the laws regarding dog attacks.

If you have any information regarding dog attacks in Reading, please email me: Olivia.Mowl@newsquest.co.uk