DEMPSEY the dog has stunned vets by surviving a horrific attack in which he was stabbed 21 times, thrown over a garden fence and left for dead.

The “loving and gentle” terrier was not expected to recover from the vicious assault, described by his vet as the worst stabbing case he had ever seen.

But he has delighted his doting owner Claire Wilkinson by surviving three hours of surgery and recovering well enough to be allowed back to his home in Stourvale Road, Southbourne.

Dempsey was staying with Claire’s daughter in Malmesbury Park Road, Charminster a fortnight ago when the attack happened.

Her daughter returned home from a night out and discovered intruders had been in her home.

There was a trail of blood inside her home, but the six-year-old dog had been thrown over her garden fence and into the bottom of her neighbour’s garden.

It was only because her neighbour had heard the attack taking place that Dempsey was discovered quickly and rushed by police to the PDSA hospital on Castle Lane.

Claire said: “He had stab wounds to his diaphragm, to his pancreas and all down one side. They didn’t think he would last the night.

“I was in shock, I just couldn’t accept that somebody could do something like that to such a loving and gentle dog.

“He’s a proper family dog – he’s never been aggressive.

“I look at him now and I can’t help but think about what he went through that night, how he must have suffered. I just can’t imagine the trauma he has been through.”

And she said she wanted to thank everybody who had helped Dempsey recover.

“I cannot praise them enough,” she said. “The police were fantastic, they acted so promptly in taking him to the PDSA when he was in a critical condition.

“The staff at the PDSA were absolutely brilliant, their dedication was just remarkable and it’s down to that that he is still with us now. I’m so grateful.”

Uwe Holz, senior veterinary surgeon at Bournemouth PDSA PetAid hospital, said: “Dempsey arrived at PDSA having suffered 21 stab wounds to his chest and stomach, two of which were life-threatening.

“The injuries had caused serious damage to several of his internal organs and he was severely traumatised by his ordeal.

“I have treated a small number of stab injuries previously, but this is by far the worst case I have ever seen.

The operation to repair Dempsey’s wounds lasted over two hours but thankfully it was a success.”

A police investigation into the attack is ongoing and officers are appealing to anyone with information about it to contact them on telephone number 101.

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