Kelvingrove Park pup cuts paw on broken Buckfast bottle

Nicki Fairbairn’s ten-month-old collie pup, Laika cut open her paw on the discarded glass in the popular West End beauty spot. Nicki had let her off the leash in a safe area for dogs in the park. She said: “I was out with a friend on a walk – because that’s the only thing we can do at the moment. Going to the park is one of Laika’s favourite things to do.”

The excited pooch made a beeline for the River Kelvin.

Laika with owner, Nicki Fairbairn

Nicki added: “She climbed back up and her leg was gushing with blood. She couldn’t walk on her paw.”

Shocked, Nicki carried Laika home to her flat in nearby Kelvinbridge. A neighbour helped with initial first aid before Laika was taken to the Vets Now Pet Emergency Hospital in Charing Cross where Nicki faced an agonising four-hour wait as Laika was patched up.

She is now facing a hefty £400 bill, and due to the ongoing nature of the treatment Laika will receive, including changing bandages and infection control, this is set to be much higher.

Nicki, a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, is now appealing to park users to pick up their rubbish and use the bins provided following the incident. She said: “It only takes a minute to put your rubbish in the bin. There’s absolutely no need for it.”

There have been growing concerns in the area about anti-social behaviour as people flock to the popular park as a result of the improving weather and the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

Nicki has warned that herself and fellow dog owners are wary of using the park after a certain time. She said: “I’ve seen people bouncing bottles of Buckfast off the ground and when it didn’t smash, they kept trying until it did. Why would you want to do that? I don’t like going to the park when it’s getting late. I’m afraid of letting Laika off the leash in case something like this happens again.”

As Laika is a collie, she requires a high amount of exercise due to her energy levels. Nicki estimates she walks the pooch for up to four hours a day. While her condition is improving, Nicki said she is really down in the dumps and doesn’t understand why she has to wear a cone or bandages on her leg.

Nicki lives in a tenement, so she relies on easy access to Kelvingrove to give Laika the exercise she needs. She said: “We can’t go out now. There is only so much you can do in the back garden. She’s also young so she needs socialisation and she’s not getting that.”

Glasgow City Council were unavailable for comment but have previously said there are similar issues with litter and anti-social behaviour in local authorities across the country.

The council's head of parks, Stephen Egan told the Glasgow Times last month: "Kelvingrove Park remains a stunning open space, but we cannot tolerate the anti-social behaviour that is being experienced in the park. So much of that behaviour is being fuelled by alcohol and we have to take steps to protect the park for everyone who wants to visit."