Police are looking to trace the owners of four dogs that attacked another dog in Harpenden.

Officers were called yesterday after a woman’s dog was savaged by three bulldogs and a mastiff on a footpath parallel to Marquis Lane at around 2.10pm.

A police spokeswoman said: “It was reported that the three bulldogs, who were not on leads, attacked the victim’s dog and during the incident the mastiff dog became free from its lead and also joined in.

“Two people – a man and a woman – who were walking the four dogs restrained the dogs and the victim and her son took their dog away.

“The dog had been gripped by its forelegs and throat by the three bulldogs and suffered an injury to its left foreleg causing it to limp.”

Officers subsequently searched the area but the pair and their dogs were not found.

The four dogs’ walkers are described as a man with brown hair parted in the middle, who was wearing a green top and beige shorts, and a woman who has long mousey brown hair and was wearing a green top.

The spokeswoman added: “Police would like to speak to two men who saw the victim, her son and dog, shortly after the incident and may have information that could assist the investigation.”

Anyone with information can contact police via non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference F2/17/1462, or report information online at www.contacthertspolice.uk/Report/Crime.