A PROBE has been launched at a kennels after a much-loved pet was allegedly mauled to death.

South Lakeland District Council is investigating complaints that a dachshund was attacked and killed by two other dogs at Happy Houndz kennels in Backbarrow.

A council spokesman said: “Following separate complaints from two pet owners, our licensing department is carrying out an investigation into how one dog died and injuries were caused to another.”

A Barrow couple received what they said was the worst phone call they could think of while on holiday.

On May 25, Gillian Humphries was left a message on her mobile phone saying: "There's been a terrible accident. Your wee dog's dead."

She said: "I cannot grieve until something is done. I feel numb and can't grasp it."

Mrs Humphries, 54, and her husband Michael, 56, of Keswick Avenue, went on holiday on May 19, leaving their dachshund Pippa at Happy Houndz Backbarrow.

The couple have another dog, Molly (daughter of Pippa) she was left at Kentdale vets after undergoing surgery for a slipped disc in her back.

The alleged incident occurred when two Staffordshire bull terriers are understood to have got out of their cage and into Pippa's, who was sharing with a shih tzu called Suki.

Suki was injured while Pippa died after suffering severe injuries to the neck, a post mortem revealed.

Mrs Humphries said: "We couldn't get a flight home, we just existed for the rest of the holiday. We weren't thinking straight."

Happy Houndz confirmed an incident had taken place and said they were in contact with the Humphries' solicitors but were not prepared to comment further.

When Mrs Humphries got home from holiday, she put a message out on social media about the incident.

She says a man has got in contact with her to say the same thing had happened to his Jack Russell in November 2016.

She said:"If I had known this I wouldn't have taken Pippa there. You take your dog to a kennel expecting it to be safe and looked after, not for anything like this to happen - and to think Molly could have been there too if she had recovered from her operation quicker.

"It doesn't bear thinking about."

The council spokesman said they could not comment further until the investigations are complete.