Man charged after toy poodle suffers broken jaw in alleged attack
Bella spent several days in intensive care recovering from surgery on a broken jaw. (Supplied: Tania Gorry)
In short:
Toy poodle Bella was snatched by a stranger at Toukley this week and allegedly locked in a car and attacked.
Tania Gorry said Bella was family to her and the attack left her traumatised and facing an $18,000 vet bill.
What's next?
Penrith man Daniel Galea has been charged and will undergo a mental health assessment.
A man is facing 14 charges after allegedly snatching and breaking the jaw of a toy poodle on the NSW Central Coast.
Daniel Galea has been charged with a range of offences including aggravated cruelty upon an animal, robbery, resisting and assaulting a police officer, attempting to drive under the influence of drugs and possessing a prohibited weapon.
He also stands accused of destroying or damaging property and breaching bail.
The 44-year-old has been under police guard in the Wyong Hospital but faced a bail court hearing today and will now undergo a mental health assessment.
Tania Gorry says she was left traumatised after her dog was snatched, then allegedly attacked. (Supplied: Tania Gorry)
Noraville woman Tania Gorry told the ABC she was walking her dog Bella along Toukley foreshore on September 29, when a man grabbed the dog and locked himself and the animal in a car.
"I couldn't fight him, I just couldn't," she said.
"I hung on for dear life but he got the lead out of my hands."
Man tasered as dog rescued
A NSW Police Media statement said officers tried to rescue the dog as it was being attacked.
"The man allegedly seriously injured the dog and refused to comply with police directions," the statement read.
"Officers smashed the front windows of the vehicle and deployed Tasers and OC spray to effect the arrest of the man."
Four officers were taken to hospital for lacerations to their arms and hands allegedly suffered during the arrest.
Toy poodle Bella suffered a broken jaw, spending several days in intensive care after surgery. (Supplied: Tania Gorry)
ICU and a broken jaw
Bella the toy poodle was taken to a veterinary clinic, needing surgery for a fractured jaw and a haematoma to her eye.
The dog spent three days in intensive care, with vets concluding she was also allegedly strangled.
Ms Gorry said her vet bill was likely to exceed $18,000.
A social media fundraising campaign saw donations reach the target in a matter of days.
Bella the toy poodle before the dog was snatched by a stranger and allegedly attacked, suffering a broken jaw. (Supplied: Tania Gorry)
"I'm so grateful to the outpouring of all the people who are showering love and support and donations," Ms Gorry said.
The 58-year-old said she was also injured during the ordeal, suffering bruising and injuries to her hand, wrist, knee, ribs and abdomen.
But Ms Gorry said her focus was solely on the dog, which is being fed through a tube as it recovers.
Bella was picked up from the vet today and is recovering at home. (Supplied: Tania Gorry)
"I'm just so grateful to God that she's alive,"
she said.
This morning, Bella the dog was discharged by the vet clinic and has returned home.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.