Lugarno do attack: Pet owner’s heroic act revealed as Jack Russell Indi fights for life

A ‘brave’ pet owner heroically stood ‘neck deep’ in mud trying to save her beloved Jack Russell Indi when the pair were mauled by ferocious dogs – and the pet is now fighting for life.

Elle Booth, 34, was walking Indi at 9am on Sunday at Boggy Well Creek, in Lugarno in southern Sydney, when they were attacked by two Irish wolfhounds who were being walked by another man.

The pair ran into the muddy creek for shelter, where they spent about half an hour fighting off the vicious dogs until they were rescued by police armed with pepper spray.

Ms Booth was rushed to St George Hospital after injuries to her face, neck, arms, hands and legs, while Indi was taken to a vet with critical internal injuries, where she remains in intensive care.

Now friend Tess Hutchinson recalls how Ms. Booth, who had recently moved to the area with husband Tom to give their pets forest trails to explore, bravely tried to protect Indi after the two aggressive dogs started biting her.

“Indi, overcome with fear, darted toward the river in a desperate attempt to escape the relentless onslaught,” Ms Hutchinson said.

“The dogs chased, followed by Elle and the man who walked these dogs. Indi was forced to leave the mangroves and enter the mudflats. The bigger dogs caught Indi again and pinned her under the mud for a while.

Without hesitation, Elle charged after Indi into the mangroves, giving up her own safety in her relentless determination to save her faithful companion.

“In a heroic act, Elle managed to pull Indi from the clutches of the attacking dogs, but not without suffering serious injuries herself.”

Mrs Hutchinson said the man walking the dogs blew a whistle and the dogs paused, with Mrs Booth taking the opportunity to go further into the mud as she desperately tried to protect her companion from further harm.

But when she went back to the shore and the forest path, the man was nowhere to be seen – and she realized she was all alone.

“For 20 minutes, Elle stood in the neck-deep mud holding Indi overhead, trying to clear Indi’s airways of mud and continuing to keep the bigger dogs at bay,” Ms Hutchinson said.

Emergency services then arrived on the scene after a family on the other side of the dike saw the incident happening and called for help.

Conditions were so treacherous that the officers who came to the rescue of Mrs. Booth and Indi also got stuck in the mud.

Ms Booth’s husband also shared an update on her condition, saying his wife was ‘damn brave’ and that he was ‘so proud of her’.

“Hello everyone, a good 36 hours to poor Elle and Indi after being attacked by two wolf dogs yesterday,” he wrote.

“Elle is currently having surgery on her hands and forearm, she has a lot of bites from defending Indi.”

Ms Hutchinson said the event changed the couple’s lives “forever” and filled them with “sadness, heartbreak and unspeakable pain”.

She launched one GoFundMe to help cover the cost of Indi’s medical bills – which have reached $25,000 but are expected to rise as she undergoes life-saving surgery.

She said that despite receiving the best possible care, there is no guarantee that Indi will survive, but she hopes raising money will give her the best chances to get through.

“Elle suffered serious physical injuries and will have a long road to recovery, not to mention the emotional damage she suffered,” she said.

‘But it’s not about herself for Elle; Indi suffered horrific, life-threatening injuries.

Elle and Indi’s road to recovery will be long and arduous, both physically and emotionally. The trauma they suffered has left deep scars that take time to heal,” she said.

“We humbly reach out to compassionate individuals like you who seek your support to help them rebuild their lives and regain their sense of security in our own backyard.”

The two dogs were seized by Georges River Council and are said to have been put down since then.

In a statement on Monday, a spokesperson said Georges River Council recognizes that incidents like this are deeply distressing to everyone in our community.

“We can confirm that Council staff worked with police that day to locate and seize the dogs and will continue to co-operate with police during the investigation.

“Residents are reminded to practice responsible pet ownership to ensure the safety of our community and the well-being and safety of their pets by always walking their dogs on a leash, unless in an authorized off-leash area.”

The council would not confirm whether the dogs have been euthanized, saying: “As this matter is now under investigation, the council cannot comment further.”