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BBC NEWS ~ UK ~ ~i~gland/~ ^~mbridgeshire ~ Mother fights hawk to ~ •e puppy Page 1 of 1 <br />Mother fights hawk to save pu <br />A mother-of-two has <br />described how she battled <br />to prevent a giant bird of <br />prey carrying off the <br />family's puppy. <br />Sophie Patterson, 37, of Ely, <br />Cambs, was walking Alfie, a <br />20-week-old Border Terrier <br />cross, when a Harris Hawk <br />swooped down from a tree. <br />~~ <br />~ .~'*. ~ <br />~' ~ :::~ <br />Alfie has made a full recovery after <br />being treated with antibiotics <br />The bird locked its talons around the dog's body and lifted <br />him from the ground. <br />Mrs Patterson grabbed hold of the dog and atug-of-war <br />ensued before Alfie was pulled from the bird's clutches. <br />"The bird swooped down and picked Alfie up from the <br />ground. I was holding on to his body and so the bird was <br />only a couple of inches away from my face. <br />Bird 'could strike again' <br />"The bird was pecking at the dog's head. It definitely could <br />have killed him," she said. <br />Mrs Patterson said Alfie escaped with only a couple of minor <br />cuts and a small hole in the top of his head. <br />The attack happened last Thursday evening on a field, close <br />to Davison Road. <br />Mrs Patterson said the bird was being exercised by its owner <br />when the attack happened and she said she feared the bird <br />could strike again and may even attack a child. <br />"I want to warn people about it so that it doesn't happen <br />again. <br />"It wasn't the bird's fault as it was just doing what nature <br />intended but people who keep birds of prey should keep <br />better control of them when they are being exercised," she <br />said. <br />Mrs Patterson said Alfie had now fully recovered after being <br />treated with antibiotics. <br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk news/en~lanc~/ramhrir~oP~h;rP/'t~~dosz~ ~+.,, ,,,,,,.,,,,,,,,,, <br />