Horror as hawk tears out dog's tongue

A Dundee man's dog was left ''screaming and covered in blood'' after its tongue was torn out in a horrific attack by a bird of prey. The Harris hawk, which was being exercised by its owner, swooped on Ian Farquhar's terrified four-year-old Jack Russell terrier Ollie on a secluded path at Baldovie, Dundee. Ian (47) now faces the heartbreaking decision whether to put Ollie down, after being told that his pet will need to be hand-fed for the rest of its life. The gardener was walking his two dogs on the path on Friday afternoon.

Ian said: ''Ollie was right at my ankle and my other dog, Rocky was about 10 yards ahead. At first, I thought it was a Staffie attacking my dog because it was brown. I tried to kick it but it wouldn't let go. Then I realised that it was a bird. Ollie was absolutely screaming. I was crying. My clothes and my hand were covered in blood. It grabbed on to his head and you could see its beak in Ollie's mouth. It was yanking at the tongue.'' Ian said the hawk's owner ran over and separated the pair. He said: ''This guy got the bird off Ollie and the tongue was in his hand. He told me to leave his bird alone when I was kicking it.''



After being driven to the vet by the hawk's owner, Ian was told that Ollie's tongue could not be saved. He said: ''He said it was too far gone. He said that Ollie would never be the same again. He had to get a lump in his mouth sewed down to stop him from choking and half of his tonsils taken out. I don't know what his quality of life is going to be now. I will have to see how he gets on, I might have to have him put down. He will have to go on soft foods and I don't know if he will be able to drink on his own or if I will have to bottle feed him. The owner said he would pay for all the vet bills but I want the hawk destroyed.''

Colin Kirk, the hawk's owner, said the attack had been an ''unfortunate accident'' but he would respect any request to have the one-year-old bird destroyed. He said: ''I let her loose and she left her perch in a tree and she flew over to his direction. She went on to the dog and I managed to get her off straight away and separated them. 'It was quite a nasty injury. The chap was jumping up and down which is quite understandable. All I was concerned about was helping the chap out and getting the dog to the vet as soon as possible. I explained that the bird was insured and he didn't have to worry, and that the vet care will be dealt with.'' He added: ''She has never attacked a dog or anyone I have been out with before. Maybe she caught a flash in the long grass and thought it was a rabbit. 'The ball is in his court. If he wants the bird to be destroyed it is up to him.''