Terrified dog who loved to play now too scared to leave the house after sick thugs slashed her belly open in garden

AN animal-loving teen says her dog has been left too scared to go outside after sick yobs slashed open her belly as she played in their garden – leaving her 'flesh hanging off' an eight-inch wound.

Courtney Cartledge, 18, had left two-year-old Sage playing in the front garden of their home in Musselburgh, Scotland, on the morning of Aug 10.

Despite not hearing any disturbance, Courtney's mum Carol spotted the injured Labrador cross through the window and rushed to her to the vets.

Once there it was confirmed the large, clean cut, which peeled the flesh from the wound and exposed the muscle beneath, had not been an accident but was most likely a targeted attack by someone with a knife or blade.

Customer service assistant Courtney said: "Sage always plays in the front garden.

"My mum had been getting ready to go to work and she noticed from the window that Sage had a cut on her stomach.

"We called her in but she wouldn't come in, which we thought was a bit strange really, she normally comes in straight away.

"When we got her inside we realised just how big the cut was.

"I was in shock and to be honest I still am.

"We took her straight to the vets as the cut was around eight inches long as was really deep.

"The vet said that it was such a clean cut that it must have been done with a knife or a blade- it couldn't have been from her catching her body on something in the garden.

"It was so deep that the flesh was actually hanging off.

"The vet stitched it back up and gave us some pain medication for her."

Since the attack customer service assistant, Courtney, admits that Sage hasn't been the same and is quite nervous about leaving the house.

Courtney said: "Sage has become quite wary of going outside now.

"She won't go out unless we go out with her so we haven't taken her for a walk yet because she is so nervous.