“PLEASE help us catch the dangerous dog that attacked our lovely Bayliss.”

This is the plea from Jo East and her family who are still reeling after the seven-year-old Labrador/lurcher cross was horrifically mauled by a bull mastiff or Staffordshire bull terrier cross.

Described as a lovable and kind dog, Bayliss was left with a seven-inch rip on his throat after he was grabbed during an afternoon walk on Slades Farm.

His owners Jo and Jos East battled to prise the two apart and it took Jos and a passer-by to eventually pull them away.

Jo, who lives in Moordown with Jos and sons Luke, five, and Jack, four, said: “It was sheer brute force that we laid into this dog and managed to get it off, otherwise we would have watched Bayliss die.”

She said she became concerned when the dog first approached Bayliss and put her foot between them.

“It just head-butted Bayliss and it all went from there.

“I was shouting at the dog to go away and then at the woman who was with the dog to call it but she did nothing.

“My husband and a really kind man got hold of the dog and tried to pull it away.

“They were kicking and punching it but the dog was not going to give up and let go of Bayliss.

“For whatever reason the dog eventually let go and the owner put a big rope around its neck and walked off.

“After checking on Bayliss I ran after her and asked for her address.

“She refused to give it to me.

“I told her I would find out and wouldn’t stop trying until that dog was destroyed for what it did to Bayliss.”

Bayliss was rushed to the vets and underwent surgery to have some flesh, tissue and muscle removed.

Jos dislocated his thumb in the attack and also received puncture wounds to his hand.

Jo said: “It was completely unprovoked.

“This dog is dangerous and needs to be caught and put down – it is an animal that has ‘killer’ written on its head.

“Dog walkers have heard what happened and no one will walk their dogs around there any more.”

Jo said the attack has had a real impact on her family.

She is too scared to walk Bayliss alone and won’t take him out with the boys.

Thankfully Bayliss is making a good recovery.

Anyone with information about the incident, on September 10 just before 5pm, should call 01202 222222.