A BELOVED family pet had to be put down after it was mauled by a pub dog.

Witnesses described the attack on July 2 outside the May Garland Inn in Horam as “terrifying,” as the landlord’s boxer-cross hurled itself against the window of a van, barking and growling, before haring across the car park and into the road to savage the terrier.

The dog, which has also now been put down, had attacked two other pets in the previous month.

Clare Lower said she was “devastated” after her nine-year-old terrier Stanley was left covered in blood with a punctured lung and broken ribs following the vicious attack.

She said: “I’d had Staley since he was left in a box with three other puppies on my doorstep when I lived in Spain.

“I kept him because I fell in love with him. He was just so gentle - even children who were scared of dogs loved him.

“I’m devastated, I’ll probably never get over it.”

The 37-year-old added: “After the first and the second attack, it’s just not safe to have that dog in the pub, with children and other dogs. It should have been put down.”

The terrier had to be put to sleep by the vet as a result of the injuries suffered. Her three young sons were left in tears on being told the news.

Ms Lower’s mother Hazel, said: “The dog was throwing itself against the door of the van, barking as if it was mad to get out.

“Then it just came for Stanley - it got him in its mouth and just wouldn’t let go. We were all trying to fight it off.

“It was terrifying - I’ve never experienced anything like it. If that had been a child or a baby in pushchair, I don’t want to think about it.”

In the previous weeks, the two-year-old boxer-cross had attacked another dog being walked in a nearby recreation ground. On a separate occasion it had raced out across the road from the pub to attack a black cockapoo being walked on a lead.

The dog was left with ten puncture wounds and needed urgent veterinary attention.

Pub landlord Asher Burman told The Argus he had not been made aware of his pet’s aggression when he retrieved her from a rescue shelter two months ago.

He said: “I tried to save that dog, and in trying to save the dog someone else’s dog died. It’s tragic and upsetting.”

He said that he had “not considered” having the dog put down after the first and second attacks, but had taken her to specialist training which had begun to moderate her behaviour.

He said the dog had been put down last Tuesday, adding: “I had to, in the interests of everyone in my street.”

Sussex Police had a warrant to seize the dog.

A spokesman said investigations into the matter were ongoing.