The devastated owners of a small dog savaged to death by an XL Bully type dog have pleaded for people to keep such animals muzzled after the XL was put down.

David and Laura Williams have been left traumatised after the XL dog attacked their pet Chihuahua cross Luca, in a field used by dog walkers in Eve Parc, Falmouth on Friday.

The three-year-old much loved pet, who Laura described as “her baby”, even attended the couple’s wedding for the pictures.

At the request of David and Laura the Packet has not identified the owner of the XL but they have posted on Facebook about the death of their dog, which they requested be put down, but not giving the reason why it died. They have since apologised to David and Laura’s family.

Falmouth Packet: Luca was described Laura as her babyLuca was described Laura as her baby (Image: Supplied)

Laura said she took Luca to the field for a walk and had already been twice that day. She said she literally took four steps on the field when they were attacked.

“He was on a lead, he’s always on a lead I never take him off a lead. There was a group of kids in the middle of the field and that dog, XL Bully dog, just came running towards us. One of them was shouting ‘no, no, no, no, no’,” she said.

“I was going in circles trying to protect him, flying around; I was trying to catch him but I couldn’t because the dog was on me. He just wouldn’t let go and I just tried to open the dog's mouth and I just couldn’t.”

She said she punched it and tried other things but nothing worked.

Falmouth Packet: An XL Bully similar to the one that killed LucaAn XL Bully similar to the one that killed Luca (Image: Getty Images)

The couple say that they are extremely grateful to a young man called Keaton who lives at the edge of the green space, who rushed out to help with his mother.

“Luca was just being flung around like a toy,” said Laura.

She managed to ring David who was at work, but she already knew it was too late.

“I had to leave him in the other dog’s mouth because I knew I couldn’t do anything,” she said.

“The son called Keaton, he was amazing. We were trying to work out a plan, I was trying to get Luca and he was trying to get the other dog off of him.”

Eventually one of the owners of the other dog came out and she called the XL away, and it then dropped Luca. Laura and Keaton gathered Luca up and took him to Rosemullion Vets by car but by then Luca had already died.

Falmouth Packet: Dave and Laura with Luca. Laura said she tried to do everything she could to save him.Dave and Laura with Luca. Laura said she tried to do everything she could to save him. (Image: Supplied)

“Keaton was trying to do everything he could but I think we knew he was gone,” said David, who arrived at the vets from work after Laura called him.

“What Laura’s had to go through is horrendous,” he said. “What we wanted to say is certain breeds of dogs just think about how it’s worth muzzling them every single walk.

“If that had happened it could avoided the deaths of these two dogs.”

Laura says she hasn’t been able to eat or sleep since the death of her beloved Luca, who only weighed 6kg with the other dog is estimated to have weighed at least 25 to 30kg.

Laura was bitten on the finger in the attack and says she is covered in bruises. She says she is traumatised by what happened and even if they get another dog she won’t ever be able to take it out on its own because she’d be so frightened.

“He was like a rag doll being shook,” she said. “It was horrific, I keep on having to relive that. I feel guilty because I feel I didn’t protect him enough, although I did everything I could to try and save him.”

Falmouth Packet: Luca was Laura's babyLuca was Laura's baby (Image: Supplied)

Luca was Dave’s first dog but Laura grew up with them. “Luca was my baby,” she said.

One eyewitness told the Packet that the attack was the “most horrendous thing I have ever seen in my life."

They said they saw Keaton run out from his house, trying to pull the XL Bully off this little white dog. “Everyone else was too scared to get the dog,” they said. “He was trying to pull the dog off. He was risking his own safety.”

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A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police were called to the area of Falmouth on Friday at around 3.30pm following a report that an XL Bully dog had attacked and killed a Chihuahua.

“It was also reported that the dog had bitten a person who attempted to intervene, resulting in a minor injury to the person’s hand.

“The XL Bully was put to sleep at the vets following the incident, at the request of the owner.

“Enquiries remain ongoing in relation to this matter.”