A family has been left heartbroken after their pet Jack Russell was attacked and shot in the face with an air rifle following a row with two teen thugs in Kent.
Lisa Ongley, 61, has been speaking about the terrifying experience when she and her cousin walked his seven-year-old dog Merlin in a park in Sevenoaks on Monday evening.
Ms Ongley and her cousin, who does not wished to be named, were walking Merlin when they noticed two teenagers brandishing an air rifle before asking them to stop.
The two thugs swore at him and as he turned to walk away, he heard Merlin yelp before seeing blood pouring from his face.
Merlin was rushed to the emergency vets, who cleaned his wounds, before having an X-ray and surgery to remove the air rifle pellet.
However, the surgery was unsuccessful after it was shattered inside his skull which left Merlin with lead fragments lodged inside his head.
Speaking to Daily Mail about the incident, Ms Ongley said: "My cousin spoke to them, they told him to f*** off and seconds later he suddenly heard the dog yelp and fly up in the air, he just scooped up the dog and ran back to the car and called me.
"Merlin was clearly in pain and whimpering on the way to the vet. It has really affected both Merlin and my cousin. In the last three years a lot has gone on in his life and I think this is the final straw.
"It's altered his demeanour and his relationship with people, if he never saw another person again he wouldn't be that bothered.
"It's awful, as a family we're devastated it happened to any dogs, let alone one you know. It's every dog owner's nightmare."
Police are investigating the incident following a call from Ms Ongley as she explained that Merlin's vet bills cost in excess of £1,000.
She insists she does not want the teens to be jailed over the horrific incident but hoped the images of Merlin could be a deterrent for similar behaviour in the future.
A Kent Police spokesperson said: "Kent Police is investigating a report that a dog was injured with a pellet from an air weapon whilst it was being walked in Knole Park, Sevenoaks.
"The incident happened at around 8pm on Monday 29 May 2023, and officers are making enquiries into the circumstances.
"Anyone with information should call Kent Police on 01622 604100, quoting reference 29-1422."
