A WOMAN whose dog was attacked at Cosmeston Country Park yesterday says she has been left in fear and disbelief from the attacking dog owner's "lack of control".

Rocco, the 11-month-old dachshund, was bitten on the leg by a French bull dog.

Rocco's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, visits Cosmeston regularly to walk her dogs.

The walks brought her comfort following the death of her daughter. Rocco was a present given to her daughter, who was blind.

"I used to take my little girl over there all the time. I was going to get a bench put there," she said.

"Now I never want to go there again. I'm scared."

At 11am Rocco's owner was walking along the path via the left entrance to the park with her friend and her two-year-old son when they encountered another woman with four French bull dogs.

"I had my mum's Staffordshire bull terrier and my dachshund with me," said Rocco's owner.

"The lady with her bull dogs was on one side of the path talking to another two ladies on the other side of the path.

"They blocked the path, and our only option was to walk through them. But she didn't say 'wait one second while I put my dog on a leash'.

"We walked through, which resulted in my dog being attacked by one of her French bull dogs.

"My dog was squealing and barking, which drew attention to him and another dog ran over and joined the attack.

"I have no clue why it was provoked. We were just walking and out of nowhere her dogs latched onto mine. I only knew once I heard my dog squealing.

"The one dog that initiated didn't have a lead on. The other dog might have had a harness on, but no lead. I don't know if she was trying to put a leash on and lost control," she said.

According to Rocco's owner the woman froze and offered no help.

"All she did was call them back for a treat. I screamed 'they aren't entitled to a treat, sort your dogs out!'

"She didn't do anything, so I picked my dog up because I didn't know what to do.

"Then the dogs were jumping at me, biting my clothes. I was wearing a cropped hoodie, so they didn't manage to grip on," she said.

The vet told Rocco's owner that he had either a sprained leg, or that his leg had been dislocated and reset.

Now that his leg has been injured once, it is likely to dislocate again due to his breed.

Rocco's owner says he has been limping and squeals when she picks him up.

"The vet says he'll remember this. One thing like this can affect a dog's life forever," said Rocco's owner.

"My mum's staffie sat in the corner all day after the incident, in complete fear.

"Luckily my friend's son was in a pram. He would have been knocked down otherwise, and God knows what would have happened after that.

"I just can't believe that there are people out there without control over their dogs," she said.

After Rocco's owner was able to get away, she was approached by the woman who had been talking with the bull dog owner.

"She said the woman with the French bull dogs was really upset and crying, and her dog was being sick," said Rocco's owner.

"But why has she got four dogs out with her if she can't control them?

"There's no way I would have four dogs with me in such a public place like that, or at the very least walk them really early and really late," she said.

Rocco's owner has reported the incident to the police and the dog warden for the Vale of Glamorgan.

Cosmeston Country Park requires dogs to be on a leash in public areas such as in the car park and by the café.

There are colour-coded signs around the park informing dog owners where it is safe and unsafe to not have their pets on a leash.