Callum Jones
A pet dog has tragically died and a woman has been left needing surgery after a 'horrifying' dog attack during a walk in Australia.
Elle Booth and her Jack Russell terrier Indi were going about their usual walk in Sydney's south on Sunday (9 July).
Booth, 34, was walking her adorable pup at Boggy Well Creek at about 9am when two dogs attacked the pair.
NSW Police Chief Inspector Paul Callaghan said that Indi fled into the Georges River to hide after the attack, with Booth following her pet into the water.
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However, both owner and dog got stuck in the mud surrounding the water, allowing the two wolfhounds dogs to attack the pair.
Indi suffered critical injuries as a result of the attack and underwent surgery on Monday in a bid to save her.
But devastatingly, the little Jack Russell passed away later that day, with friend Sam Carmichael announcing the sad news on a GoFundMe page.
"Unfortunately, this evening Indi has passed away due to three heart attacks over the course of this afternoon," she wrote.
"She fought until the very end and was such an incredibly brave little pup."
The fundraiser was set up in a bid to raise funds for Indi's vet bills, with a staggering AU $30,000 (£15,500) raised at the time of writing.
Booth also underwent surgery on Monday, following a number of serious injuries sustained to her face, neck, arms, hands and legs.
"Elle has suffered severe physical injuries and will have a long road to recovery, not to mention the emotional damage experienced," the GoFundMe page said.
Carmichael also added that Booth recently moved to the Sydney suburb 'specifically choosing Lugarno for its bush trails and locale near the Georges River so that their bright little Jack Russell cross cattle dog, Indi, could explore the area on their daily walks'.
A local witnessed the terrifying ordeal and immediately called the police after realising what was happening.
Inspector Callaghan said police and fire rescue teams were met by two 'aggressive' dogs at the scene, with officers having to pepper spray them.
The dogs are likely bull Arab crossbreeds, commonly used by pig hunters, according to wolfhound expert Stephen Gendle.
Speaking to 7 News, he said: "Once you start crossing in breeds, then the temperament becomes unstable."
A police investigation is currently ongoing, with police looking for the owners of the two dogs.
If found, they could face fines upwards of AU $20,000 (£10,300) or possibly even jail time.