Unleashed German Shepherd Fatally Mauls Pomeranian, Injures Woman In Newbury Park

NEWBURY PARK (CBSLA) — Authorities are searching for a woman whose unleashed German shepherd fatally mauled a Pomeranian and injured a woman in Newbury Park.

Animal control officials were on the scene at Newbury Gateway Park Monday night, searching for surveillance video from nearby shopping centers of the attack or the woman's gray SUV leaving the area last Thursday night.

The 11-year-old brown Pomeranian, Whiskey, died at a veterinarian's office after the attack. Jessica Cherkowski, Whiskey's owner's mother-in-law, was also injured and had to get stitches on her upper lip.

"He mauled him," she said with a sob. "He grabbed him by the throat."

Another witness said she saw the German shepherd and its owner immediately after the attack trying to leave the park, which is not designated as a dog park.

"She was just tugging, pulling her dog. That's when we noticed, this other lady with the little dog," Diana Perez said. "I saw her dog laying in the grass, and it wasn't moving.

"She asked the lady what had happened, and she told my friend that her dog bit the smaller dog, so then she just left," Perez said.

The woman reportedly drove away from the park in a gray SUV.