A woman was left with a £500 vet bill after her dog injured itself on sharp wire in Claydon. 

Danielle Dixon’s cocker spaniel, Frankie, needed stitches after cutting his front paw on what his owner believes to be razor wire. 

Miss Dixon explained that her partner had taken Frankie for a walk when the dog began sniffing in the undergrowth in the lane known as The Slade, which borders Claydon and Barham Recreation Ground. 

 “He had a scratch on his nose, so when he came home, I cleaned him up,” explained Miss Dixon, 26. “It wasn’t until later that evening that we noticed he had a clean slice through his leg. 

“He must have licked all the blood off. He had a cut on the front and on the back.” 

Ipswich Star: Frankie needed stitches for the cut he sustained to the front of his paw. Image: Danielle DixonFrankie needed stitches for the cut he sustained to the front of his paw. Image: Danielle Dixon (Image: Danielle Dixon)Ipswich Star: Danielle Dixon needed to take time off work to make sure Frankie does not reopen his stitches. Image: Danielle DixonDanielle Dixon needed to take time off work to make sure Frankie does not reopen his stitches. Image: Danielle Dixon (Image: Danielle Dixon)

Miss Dixon needed to take time off work to take Frankie to the vets, and then further time off to ensure Frankie does not open his stitches. She paid £520 in fees. 

Peter Avis is Chair of the Claydon and Barham Recreation Ground Committee. He said that no wire of any kind had been laid in the Recreation Ground for the time he had been a councillor, more than 10 years. 

After visiting the site, he confirmed that there is barbed wire and razor wire in The Slade, on the right-hand side of the path. However, this land is not maintained by the Claydon and Barham Recreation Ground Committee, or by the Claydon and Whitton Parish Council.  

Ipswich Star: Danielle holding Frankie. Image: Danielle DixonDanielle holding Frankie. Image: Danielle Dixon (Image: Danielle Dixon)Ipswich Star: A photo taken by Danielle Dixon showing the sharp wire in The Slade. Image: Danielle DixonA photo taken by Danielle Dixon showing the sharp wire in The Slade. Image: Danielle Dixon (Image: Danielle Dixon)

Ipswich Star: A close-up photo of wire in The Slade. Image: Danielle DixonA close-up photo of wire in The Slade. Image: Danielle Dixon (Image: Danielle Dixon)

However, Miss Dixon is still concerned at the barbed wire being so low to the ground, and the danger it poses to dogs. 

“There’s no need to have razor wire, barbed wire is bad enough,” she said. “It could have sliced the top of his nose off.”