A FURIOUS dog owner whose pet was left seriously hurt after being startled by fireworks has hit out at the ‘mindless yobs’ responsible.

Josephine Butcher’s rescue dog Holly was so frightened by fireworks flying overhead she fled from her harness – straight into the path of an oncoming 4x4.

Her husband Paul, walking the German shepherd/rottweiller cross at the time, had been struck by a stray firework just moments earlier.

Three-year-old Holly suffered a broken pelvis and was due to undergo a £5,000 operation at a veterinary specialist today.

Part-time teacher Mrs Butcher said: “It’s ridiculous – it’s late November and people are still letting off fireworks.

“These weren’t the small sort for your garden, they were big, display-type fireworks. It’s just down to mindless yobs not thinking about the consequences of their actions.

“If they hadn’t been doing it none of this would have happened. We’re lucky Paul wasn’t hurt as well.”

Workshop manager Mr Butcher, 57, was walking Holly near fields in Chickerell when fireworks started flying past and one struck him in the chest, but he escaped unhurt.

Mr Butcher yelled at the culprits and they promised they would stop, but the fireworks started up again.

Holly was so scared she wriggled free and ran into the road, where she was struck by the 4x4. Mr and Mrs Butcher, of East Street, rushed her to an on-call vet following the collision on Saturday night.

Mrs Butcher said: “The vet said it was lucky we got Holly there early, because it’s the shock that can kill dogs.

“They kept her in all weekend. She has a pretty smashed-up pelvis and the top of her leg is also smashed.

“The operation’s going to cost between £4,000 and £5,000 and it’ll take her six months to recover.

“It’s a sad state of affairs but at least they can do something. They used to put dogs with broken pelvises down straight away.”

Mrs Butcher said police had already been alerted about the fireworks but the culprits fled the scene.

“The police have been really kind and supportive but I feel utterly powerless,” she said.

“We were very careful with Holly around November 5 and she coped very well, but these fireworks were metres away from her. What hope do people with animals have when fireworks are going off all the time, all over the place?”

Dorset Police said inquiries into the incident were ongoing.

A force spokesman added: “Each year a small minority of people spoil the enjoyment of Fireworks Night and the weeks immediately around it by acting illegally or by posing a danger to other people.

“We would ask for anyone seeing fireworks being used illegally to contact us on 01305 222222.”