The owners of a dog that was "viciously attacked" by another, are appealing for the owners to come forward to help pay the spiralling cost of treatment.

Surrey Comet:

Tyson, a five-year-old chihuahua, was being walked by his owners, Kristina and Katja Syrad, on Desborough Island, Walton, on the evening of Friday, November 28, when he was grabbed by a wire haired terrier type dog.

Steve Segurola, 57, from Chipstead, the partner of Kristina Syrad, of Weybridge, said: "They heard a high pitched screaming."

He was clamped in the bigger dog's jaws, originally thought to be a jack russell but now believed to be a parsons terrier, and shaken violently, while the owners struggled to intervene.

Mr Segurola said: "He was trying to kill him, there's no two ways about it. It that dog attacks a child that could be very dangerous."

Eventually Tyson was released, and the two women ran with him to the vet, without exchanging any details with the other dog's owners.

The vet bills to correct the spinal and internal injuries Tyson suffered have rocketed to about £6,000 already.

Mr Segurola said: "Katja has been and put up posters asking for the owners to get in touch. The vet bills are more than her annual salary."

Miss Syrad, 23, of York Road, works as a special needs assistant at Long Ditton Infants School, and the additional costs may be more than she can afford to pay, as her insurance only covers a single condition or injury up to £4,000.

A police spokesman said: "Two people are believed to have been with the jack russell at the time and described as a woman, white, about 30 years old with long dark black hair and a man, about 30 years old, white and with an Irish or Scottish accent."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference number 45140101075.

Surrey Comet: