Man Forced to Shoot His Own Dog After Seal Attack in Scotland

Matthew Will said he had to shoot his black labrador, Fly, after it was severely injured by a bull seal in a stream on the Ythan estuary in Aberdeenshire.

Wildfowler Mr Will was shooting ducks when his three-year-old labrador ran into the water to retrieve a downed bird. Fly was dragged under the water and bitten by a seal more than twice the dog’s size.

Mr Will, 21, of Inverugie, ­Peterhead, had earlier spoken of his terror when his pet was attacked last Friday after it entered the Tarty Burn.

He said: “There was a sudden and terrific thrashing and howling in the water.

“This huge seal – more than twice the size of the dog – was flinging Fly around and pulling him under the water. I was horrified. The seal was enormous. It was terrible.”

Mr Will finally succeeded in driving off the seal and dragged his badly mutilated pet to the bank...


[link to www.scotsman.com]