A heartbroken pet owner has described the horrifying moment her beloved dog was savaged by another canine.

Julie Moffat was running a route she has taken “a million times before” in the fields behind the Clare Foundation on Wycombe Road, Saunderton with her two dogs Betty and Clara on January 20 when disaster struck.

Betty, who was running alongside her owner, was mauled by a “distinctive” passing dog and although vet surgeons battled for three hours to save her life, she sadly died of her injuries.

Describing the terrifying moment Betty was attacked, Julie, from Loosley Row, said: “We were just minding our own business. I choose this route because there are less dogs because Clara is a rescue.

“All of a sudden I could see this dog but I didn’t take a great deal of notice. It was very bouncy and very distinctive looking. It was brown and had tan-coloured spots.

“In a flash it came over to Betty – it had a toy or a ball in its mouth and dropped it before rolling Betty over twice. I was absolutely gobsmacked. This dog had its teeth all around Betty. Its teeth were huge.

“At this point I was on my hands and knees in this dog’s face and I was trying to push the dog off of her with my hands. I didn’t even think about myself.”

Betty died after suffering catastrophic injuries to her chest and lungs.

Julie said: “She was very cute and inoffensive. Anyone who knows her would know she didn’t stand a chance. She was the love of my life. She did absolutely nothing to provoke it.”

Julie now fears for other pets and children following the shocking attack, which happened at around 11am in the morning.

She said: “The owner was absolutely useless – he was calling it but he didn’t even come over. If it was my dog I would have been over there in a flash. He had no control over this dog. He couldn’t even get it on the lead.

“He mumbled that he was sorry and he went off. I was in total shock. I didn’t know at this point that Betty was going to die.

“What frightens me is that there are lots of children who walk in those fields. I never want this to happen to another dog. When I bent down to push the dogs face off of Betty it could have gone for me or worse this dog to do this to a child. The dog needs muzzling.”

The dog is described as having the face of a German shepherd and a body bigger than a labrador but with a round chest, short brown fur with tan spots. 

Police are aware of the incident but said it was not a police matter.