A BLIND woman is urging dog owners to keep their pets under tighter control after her guide dog was attacked in a Huntingdonshire park. Martine Brooks, of Hawkesford Way, St Neots, was walking her guide dog Gable, through Priory Park at about 11pm on May

A BLIND woman is urging dog owners to keep their pets under tighter control after her guide dog was attacked in a Huntingdonshire park.

Martine Brooks, of Hawkesford Way, St Neots, was walking her guide dog Gable, through Priory Park at about 11pm on May 11.

She told The Hunts Post that another dog ran up to her 10-year-old guide dog and attacked him, leaving Gable needing stitches to his ear.

Mrs Brooks, 57, a teaching assistant at St Neots Community College, said she had been left frustrated and angry by what had happened.

"People who let their dogs off leads need to be aware that guide dogs are working dogs and if injured will have to retire.

"I use my dog for everything. He is my eyes and I would be lost without him. If he had been badly injured, he would not have been able to continue working."

The incident has left Gable feeling nervous, and Mrs Brooks believes that if he had been a younger guide dog, he would have been so badly shaken up by what happened he would have had to retire.

A spokesman for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association said: "Unfortunately there are occasions when working guide dogs have been attacked by other dogs when out and about.

"We would encourage responsible dog ownership to help reduce the risk of such incidents occurring."

According to the charity, eight guide dogs were attacked by out of control dogs in the past year.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which breeds 1,000 guide dogs a year, said it costs about £10 a day to train and care for each dog.

It is estimated to cost £40million a year for the association to carry on its work.

INFORMATION: To find out more about the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association visit www.gdba.org.uk or phone 01189 835555.