The owner of a shih-tzu that was viciously mauled in a Canberra yard has concerns the attacking dog will be allowed back into the community.
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Elysha Rohde was overseas when her service dog, Oreo, was attacked by an Alaskan malamute at her mother's Narrabundah home in early September where a house sitter was taking care of him.
Ms Rohde believed the dog had been returned to its owner after the attack, but said the owner had since surrendered it to a shelter.
She doesn't know where it is now, but feared it might be given to a new owner and could attack again.
"I was in America and I had been away for about two and a half weeks, which is the longest I've been away from Oreo so I was already missing him," Ms Rohde said.
"I woke up to mum trying to get into my phone to see if the house sitter had tried to message me because she didn't want me to find out via text message that Oreo had been attacked and was in ICU at the vet."
Ms Rohde is the latest owner to come forward concerned about dog attacks in the wake of the death of a Watson woman, killed by her own dog on October 25.
Oreo is a certified companion dog for Ms Rohde, describing him as her whole world.
"I've had dogs growing up but Oreo's the first dog that's really mine and he's just another whole level."
Ms Rohde said the Alaskan malamute had either jumped the fence or broken through when Oreo was in the backyard.
"Luckily the house sitter was there and heard what was going on - Oreo was obviously crying and in a lot of pain," she said.
"She had to attack the malamute with a broom to get him to let go of Oreo."
Oreo received broken ribs, a punctured lung, internal bleeding and flesh wounds from the dog's teeth.
Ms Rohde said the malamute was taken away by Domestic Animal Services but was returned to its owners who then surrendered it to an unknown shelter.
She said the dog was not declared as dangerous. Ms Rohde is angry that "there's a chance this dog could do it again".
"I'm furious. Now it can go and hurt someone else, another dog, someone's child who's maybe just patting it," she said.
A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesperson said the incident is under investigation. The directorate would not provide more details.
During the 2016-17 financial year, there were 389 reported dog attacks. Fourteen dogs were declared dangerous in the year.
