posted March 01, 2017 01:25 PM            

The rescue dog was fetching a stick from the water off Bonna Point Reserve in a suburb of Sydney, Australia, when a shark pulled her underwater, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The dog’s owner, Nigel, told the newspaper there was nothing he or his wife could do to stop the predator — believed to be a bull shark — from grabbing the dog in the spontaneous attack.

“We were pretty traumatized, it was horrific,” said Nigel, who withheld his last name. “We were just throwing the stick in the water. The tide was really far out and there was a bit of a drop off .”

The Herald reports that the Sutherland Shire Council has now warned swimmers and pet owners walking dogs on the off-leash beach not to enter the water. Signs have been posted about the incident, as well.

Nigel told the newspaper they were about to leave the beach when Molly, who they rescued from a shelter two years ago, was taken. Sadly, the couple didn’t see the dog again and her body hasn’t been found.

“It was very quick. It just took her under the water,” he said, adding that the shark was about 11 ft. long. “We just freaked out and we told a few people that we saw on the way back. I also rang the council to let them know.”