Spain: "It was horrible, there was bone mass exposed" - Seventy-six-year old woman attacked by her own Pit Bull

SPAIN -- A 76-YEAR-OLD woman has been left seriously injured after her own American pit bull terrier attacked her in the Galicia region in northern Spain.

The victim is the second woman to be attacked by dangerous dogs since the weekend.

The attack happened in the neighborhood of Sequeiros, Mos when the dog, that was loose from its chain, became aggressive with road contractors working nearby.

When the woman heard the commotion she stepped in with a broom. But the dog lunged at her, knocked her to the ground and started to bite her arms and legs.

One of the roadworkers said, "The lady was completely torn" before they managed to scare the dog away by restarting one of their machines.

The head of the Local Police in Mos, Gerardo Álvarez, who lives nearby drew his gun in case he was forced to shoot the animal.

But the son of the woman managed to calm the dog and chain it until the Guardia Civil arrived and took the animal away to a shelter in Meis.

The mayor of Mos, Nidia Arévalo, who was in the area along with other councillors to oversee the works, saw the woman lying on the floor.

"It was horrible, there was bone mass exposed."

*  *  *  *  *  *

The attack comes just  days after another elderly woman had both legs amputated after a vicious dog attack in northern Spain.

The 82-year-old from Covelo, Pontevedra, named as Maria Dolores AB, was set upon by two French Mastiffs owned by a neighbor as she returned home from Mass.

Horrified witnesses described how the animals bit her lower legs and scalp to the bone before being pulled away.

BREED SPECIFIC LAWS (BSL) IN SPAIN:

Ownership of Potentially Dangerous Dogs in Spain

Spanish law requires that the owners of potentially dangerous dogs obtain a license for that animal. Potentially dangerous dogs are:

• Pit Bull Terrier
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Rottweiler
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Tosa Inu
• Akita Inu

For any large dog weighing more than 44 pounds with a square head, strong jaws, and a strong muscular back, you must obtain the license or your animal will be impounded.

Licensing
In order to obtain a license, the owner must apply with the appropriate Spanish municipal office. To be eligible for a license, applicants must:

• Be 18 years old
• Have no criminal history
• Pass a physical and psychological exam
• Pay an application fee (currently 34 Euros)
• Obtain civil liability insurance in the amount of $120,000/203,000

If your application is approved and you received a license, there will be specific security measures that the owner of these dogs must take:

• You must carry your license with you if you are with your dog in public
• Your dog must be on a fixed leash no longer than 6.5 feet in public
• The dog must have a muzzle affixed to its mouth such that it cannot bite
• The owner can only be walking one such dog at a time
• A dog left outdoors, such as in a yard, must be secured such that they cannot escape into the public

Questions may be directed to the Staff Judge Advocate's Office at extension 3171 or the Security Department, Interpreter's section, at extension 2547.

(Euro Weekly News - Nov 8, 2017)