A couple has been rushed to hospital after the drowsy dog they rescued from an adoption centre woke up and savagely attacked them.
Sharon Archibald, 57, was left with deep wounds on her arm and a bruised breast after the hound, Moose, attacked her just four days after he was adopted from a shelter.
Her husband, Michael Archibald, 63, eventually managed to restrain the dog.
The couple claims Moose was very drowsy and sleepy from the moment they met him in a car park in Dalwhinnie, Scotland, and suspect he had been sedated in a bid to offload him on to the couple.
Sharon Archibald (pictured with her husband), 57, was left with deep wounds on her arm and a bruised breast after the hound, Moose, attacked her just four days after he was adopted from a shelter
IT analyst Mrs Archibald said: ‘The dog that night was not the dog we rescued – it seemed demonic. He was like a weapon intent on causing severe damage’
The couple claims Moose (pictured) was very drowsy and sleepy from the moment they met him in a car park in Dalwhinnie, Scotland, and suspect he had been sedated in a bid to offload him on to the couple
Her husband, Michael Archibald (pictured), 63, eventually managed to restrain the dog (pictured, Moose)
Mr and Mrs Archibald found the shelter on Facebook and despite raising concerns they were given Moose in a car park, without a home visit, just days later.
The golden retriever-collie-labrador cross breed was described by the shelter as being great with children.
IT analyst Mrs Archibald said: ‘The dog that night was not the dog we rescued – it seemed demonic.
‘He was like a weapon intent on causing severe damage.
‘When you see zombie films when people just suddenly change, it was like that, it was horrible.
‘My husband attempted to get him off me where he then turned on my husband, knocking him to the floor and pinned him down and biting his arm.’
Mrs Archibald instantly fell in love with Moose when she saw pictures of him online.
She added: ‘Moose reminded me of a dog I used to have as a child, he was described as great with kids.
‘They weren’t sure whether he was good with other animals and was also described as friendly.’
She commented she was interested and very quickly had a message from an organiser in her area, who described Moose as a ‘lovely boy’ and said adopting him would cost a £340 donation to the shelter.
She said: ‘I asked about his temperament, whether he was good with kids, his health, whether his jabs were all up to date.
‘I waited a while for a response to be told she was trying to arrange to get him to me ASAP.
‘She seemed urgent to get payment from me.’
She negotiated the price down to £250 and was told she could have him the next day – bypassing the home check as she’d had one in the past.
She said: ‘I’d pointed out to her on the phone that this was over 16 years ago.
‘I informed her I didn’t mind her doing the check, and that really I would like to meet the dog first.
‘I felt pressure was put upon me to agree to take the dog on the 30th October as he needed a home urgently.
‘I did fall in love with the photos of him and perhaps she did play on this knowing I liked the look of him, and how good he sounded.’
Sharon and civil servant Michael met Moose on October 30 in a car park in Dalwhinnie, after the van had allegedly been travelling for 16 hours.
‘He was very subdued, it took a long while to get him in the back of the car,’ she said.
Mrs Archibald’s injuries after the horrific attack
‘I was a bit nervous but I put it down to us being virtually strangers to him.’
The driver of the van that dropped Moose off did also not provide the couple with any information.
Mother-of-two Sharon said: ‘He wasn’t wearing a uniform he got out the vehicle he said ”Moose” and then he left.
‘I was shocked but I thought maybe he was in a rush to get to his next destination, he didn’t speak a lot at all.’
They got him in their car and, while he did growl a little, slept the majority of the way back home.
Mrs Archibald said: ‘Once home we allowed him to take a look around the house at his own speed, showed him the garden, and when he came in he promptly fell asleep on the sofa.
‘He was like this for the next few days, my husband often saying he’s sleeping a lot.
‘In the back of my mind I asked myself had he been given anything to help him on his travels to relax more?’
On the evening of November 3 Sharon and Michael were in the kitchen and Moose started watching the TV for about ten minutes.
She said: ‘I thought to myself that’s the longest I’ve seen him be awake..’
While Michael was dishing up the couple’s dinner, Moose came into the kitchen, leapt up and put his paws on the counter top.
When Sharon firmly told him ‘no!’ he snarled, bared his teeth and lunged at her, taking her breast in his mouth and not letting go.
When Michael stood up, the dog attacked Sharon again and bit chunks out of her arm.
‘I was shaking with fear, covered in blood,’ said Sharon.
‘It was dripping, it was everywhere.
‘I don’t know how I held it together but managed not to faint.’
After a ten minute struggle, with the dog was still latched onto Sharon’s breast, Michael managed to secure him in the crate.
‘I was holding my breast but I was too scared to have a look, I thought the important part of my breast had been bitten off,’ said Sharon.
They phoned for an ambulance and the police came to the home first, and advised the couple that the dog should be destroyed under the Dangerous Dog Act.
Sharon called the shelter in tears to tell them they’d been attacked, but said staff said they couldn’t get to her for at least a day.
An ambulance arrived to take the couple to Dr. Gray’s Hospital, and an emergency vet was found who put Moose down.
While Mr Archibald was sent home the same day, Mrs Archibald was kept in for the night in case she developed an infection from the deep wounds in her arm.
During this time, and organiser from the rescue reached out and called Sharon’s family ‘despicable’ for having the dog killed, she claims.
Sharon said: ‘The most important thing is I want them investigated. I want them closed, this isn’t a charity they’re just making money for themselves.
‘I don’t believe this is the only attack. I’m just so thankful I just didn’t have any children.’
The shelter has been contacted for comment.
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