SIR – My 17-year-old daughter and two friends were walking my nine-month-old pup along the canalside close to Apperley Bridge on September 7.

Two ladies walking a number of dogs (none wearing leads) walked towards her. A large German shepherd belonging to one of them ran at my pup.

He ran and was chased along the canal. The German shepherd returned alone.

My daughter and her friends tried frantically to find our pup, to no avail. I then joined my daughter and we searched for more than five hours.

The next morning we returned and searched and put up posters. We rang the dog warden, RSPCA, police stations and local vets.

After 24 hours, I received a phone call saying he had been found, but was badly bleeding. I immediately went to collect him and found he had been bitten on his leg by a large dog. He needed antibiotics, painkillers and stitches.

The ladies will be unaware of the events that followed the chase. I would just like to make people aware that, in a public place, unless they are 100 per cent sure they can control their dog, it should be kept on a lead.

Claire Knapton, Delverne Grove, Eccleshill, Bradford