Dog left in agony after being skewered by fishing hooks on UK beach in 'traumatic' incident - owner issues urgent warning

Its owner has warned other dog walkers to be alert to the dangers after more vicious-looking hooks were found nearby. Cheryl Wild explained that her three-year-old Bedlington Terrier, called Betty, was playing on Penmaenmawr beach when she began yelping in pain.

Cheryl said she often takes Betty to the beach for exercise along with her other Bedlington, two-year-old Willow. She told North Wales Live: “As I have a bad knee, I sat on a rock and watched them play. Betty began shaking her head frantically. Initially, I didn’t think much of it as she often picks up seaweed and throws it around. But then she began yelping in pain.”

Cheryl ran over to her dog to help and found a three-pronged hook hanging from Betty’s face. Two were impaled, one of them right through the dog’s nose. The hooks were barbed, so they couldn’t be removed without causing more damage.

Cheryl added: “If I tried to pull them out, it would have ripped her nose to pieces. But Betty was really distressed and was trying to knock out the hooks with her paws, causing the wound to bleed even more. I was worried she was going to rip them out and cause more damage - it was really traumatic for everyone there.”

A friend called for help, asking for wire cutters to be brought to the beach. Meanwhile Cheryl carried Betty to a bench, warning passers-by to look out for fishing hooks.

The incident occurred on Sunday (10 November) with Cheryl putting her hands over Betty’s eyes and stroking her to “keep her calm as the barbs were cut off the hooks.” When both hooks had been extracted, the people Cheryl had warned 20 minutes earlier returned to say they had found two more hooks on the beach.

Cheryl has since issued a warning on social media alerting other dog owners to the potential dangers. Anglers responded to her post suggesting that the hooks had snagged or snapped in the sea before being washed back ashore. A local man said: “99% of anglers are responsible human beings with families and animals at home and are not irresponsible and would hate the thought of injuring that poor dog.”

Others claimed it was a common occurrence on the region's beaches. One woman from Anglesey wrote: “Same happened to my dog. Ended up with a £200 vet bill.”

If a pet is hooked by fishing gear, surgery may be needed. If the hook has been swallowed, an emergency endoscopy may also be required. The victim will also need antibiotics to prevent infection. If the hook is still attached to a line, pet owners are advised not to cut this too short as it may help the vet when removing the hook.