A HAWK "tried to grab puppy" from outside their house just days before a seagull snatched a chihuahua from a garden.

Keith Robinson, 33, was out with his wife Nicola walking their long-haired dachshund Bronn when it was viciously attacked by a Harris hawk being used to deter seagulls.

The bird of prey was being used in Inverness, Scotland, to target gulls and Keith and Nicola, 28, had only been out of their house for a few minutes when the bird suddenly swooped.

'TERRIFYING'

Mr Robinson said: “Nicola had Bronn on his lead just at the side of the house when the bird dropped on him.

"Basically it was trying to lift him off the ground.

"The bird’s handler came running over and was calling to it, but it wasn’t having any effect.

"After about a minute it let go, but it was terrifying while it lasted."

Bronn was rushed to the vet immediately after the incident on July 9 and escaped unscathed – though Mr Robinson says he remains timid and wary about going outdoors.

The bird dropped on him… it was trying to lift him off the ground. After about a minute it let go, but it was terrifying while it lasted.

It comes just days before a chihuahua was reportedly carried away by a huge gull as he played outside in the back garden in Paignton, Devon.

Although uncommon, there have been a number of reports of birds of prey especially in America carrying away small dogs and other pets.

Just weeks ago a wildlife photographer captured the brutal moment a seagull swallowed a rabbit in just one bite on the island of Skokholm, Wales.

Model Katie Hillman was walking her tiny Pomeranian dog Vinnie in fields near her home in 2012 when a huge red kite with a 6ft wingspan spotted the pet.

Dr. Pete Lands, the director of emergency and critical care for Saint Francis Veterinary Center in New Jersey, USA, reported an incident of a hawk picking up a client’s small dog and carrying it away.

“The dog owner got into his truck to try and follow the bird, but quickly lost sight,” says Dr.Lands.

Amazingly the dog was recovered two days later about a mile away with only some mild scrapes and scratches.”

'THREAT TO LIVESTOCK'

In May an amazing image captured by an amateur photographer sowed an eagle flying away with a tiny lamb in its talons on the Isle of Mull.

Farming groups said the picture proved the giant birds were a threat to livestock, and warned they could attack household pets.

Speaking to the bird’s handler afterwards Mr Robinson said she had speculated that the hawk may have mistaken Bronn on his lead for the kind of lure used in training – a piece of meat on a string.

But the managing director of NBC Environment, the pest control firm engaged to work at Millburn Academy by facilities managers Mears claimed the hawk was just chasing the dog away.

John Dickson said that in their native South American desert home Harris hawks often clash with coyotes over prey.

“As a result they have an instinctive behaviour to chase dogs away,” he said.
“In this situation the hawk was not attacking the dog in an attempt to kill it but was trying to scare it off, which is why the dog was not injured.”

Mr Robinson said he and his wife have asked the firm to notify them whenever they next plan to deploy the hawk, so they can keep Bronn indoors.

“I think they need to just be more aware of the fact that they are operating in an area where there are lots of dog owners and they can’t be sure that nothing like this will ever happen again,” he said.

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