“HOW many more times does this have to happen?”

Those are the words of a retired man from Bournemouth after his dog was savaged to death on its morning walk.

Michel Hiernaux, 62, and his wife Marie have described the devastation and shock they felt after the dog they saw as “our baby” was shaken to death “like a rag doll” after a doberman turned nasty.

Marie, 58, took their spaniel-collie cross, Jessie, 13, out for a walk around 9.30am last Wednesday through St Valerie Road, Bournemouth, towards the copse area of woodland.

She said: “Like I would on any other day, I walked past lots of dogs with their owners. I saw a lady on a mobile phone with three dogs, a doberman, a great dane and another dog, who looked reasonably docile.”

Marie, who volunteers at Poole Hospital’s cancer unit, added: “Now I wish that I had crossed the road.

“The Doberman came off the lead and just lunged at Jessie.

“He grabbed her by the neck and shook her like a rag doll.

“There was blood everywhere.

“I was in hysterics and felt totally helpless until a lady gave me and Jessie a lift to the nearest vet. When we got there, Jessie was already dead. After the vet offered to do an x-ray, I found out she had a broken neck.

“My first thought was: ‘How am I going to tell Michel?’ I just couldn’t break the news to him.

“If I had gone a different route or at a different time this might not have happened.”

Michel added: “I know people always say this but there was no dog like her and we can’t get her back. She was a companion, part of the family and after our sons moved out, our baby.

“Next time it could be a child that’s hurt. The dog that attacked Jessie was there for the kill.”

Dean Shepherd, environmental protection officer for animal welfare at Bournemouth council, said in a statement: “We are obviously saddened to hear that a dog has been killed as a result of a dog on dog attack in Bournemouth.

“Our dog warden has taken action and has since been in contact with the owner of the dog who carried out the attack.

“In agreement with the owner, an undertaking has been signed which means that when out of the home, the owner’s great dane and doberman must be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times and all three dogs must not be walked together at the same time.”