EILEEN Leonard has warned people bringing their pets on holidays to be vigilant when walking their animals in unfamiliar areas, after her Maltese shitzhu was attacked days before Christmas.
Mrs Leonard said her family had been left traumatised after their six year old canine Coco's short walk around Birmingham Gardens ended with her dead after another dog ripped her from her harness.
"She went on holidays and she never came home," Mrs Leonard said.
"I don't want anyone else to go through what we've been through.
"Check your premises - secure your properties properly.
"If you think they're not secure, don't be complacent and don't wait till tomorrow.
"Your dogs could injure others and so many lives will be affected.
"It could have been a child."
The Leonards - who are from the Hunter but moved to Sydney for work - had only put down their other, ill, dog the week before when they drove to Birmingham Gardens on Monday.
They stopped to unload their car before intending to drive Coco to stay with Mrs Leonard's parents in Maitland.
Mrs Leonard said her daughter, 16, and son, 13, were taking Coco for a short walk in her harness and lead when a "pitbull style dog" escaped its yard and latched onto her.
"Coco tried to submit, she rolled on her back," Mrs Leonard said. "The force pulled her out of her harness."
She said the dog returned to its yard with Coco between its mouth.
The Leonards felt unable to enter the premises due to the dog's "aggressive behaviour" before its owner returned home and secured it and another dog.
She said the police and an RSPCA officer attended, but Coco had already died.
A City of Newcastle ranger visited on Boxing Day to interview the Leonards and the dog's owner.
"We got there at 10am and by 10.55am she'd been killed," Mrs Leonard said.
"The whole family is a total wreck.
"We couldn't do anything, couldn't celebrate, couldn't eat.
"People might say it's only a dog, but she was part of our family."
Mrs Leonard said future Christmases would be a painful reminder of Coco's death.
"Take care and treasure every moment you have with your pets, because you don't know how short their lives can be."
A council spokeperson said investigations into the matter were ongoing.
The Newcastle Herald reported in October Newcastle rangers had investigated 232 dog attack complaints so far this year, compared to 267 in 2018 and 204 in 2016.
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