A TRAUMATISED dog has been prescribed tranquillisers after it ripped a door apart in a bid to escape from exploding fireworks.

Petrified Chinook, an Alaskan malamute, was so spooked on Saturday afternoon that he tried to get through a cat flap, splitting his mouth and wrecking the back door.

His owner Carol Longham said: "My partner Steve had gone to the gym for an hour and when he came back at about 5pm he found Chinook in a terrible state.

"Chinook had literally ripped his mouth and our back door apart in an attempt to get into the house and away from the fireworks he is so petrified of. There was blood everywhere."

Carol, who works for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, is now calling for fireworks to be banned except during organised displays.

She said: "We live near Alexandra Park in Lower Parkstone where kids have been letting off fireworks for three weeks.

"Chinook is a big dog; he's seven and a half stone and we like to keep him outdoors as much as possible.

"He's nine years old but, since he was a puppy, he's always been terrified of fireworks.

"Saturday night was the worst experience we've had with him. I arrived home just after Steve and we couldn't believe the damage Chinook had caused to the door and himself. It was shocking."

Carol added: "The vet hopes Chinook's mouth and gums will recover and has prescribed Valium which, he says, I can give Chinook every day.

"But it could be weeks before all the fireworks stop and it seems so unfair that our dog is having to be sedated.

"Now we're going to have to keep him indoors which isn't easy because he's so big and we're renovating the house.

"It's wrong for fireworks to be let off weeks on end because of the stress and trauma they cause to pets and their owners. People just don't care."