New Zealand: Dunedin Irish Wolfhound attack victim thought she was "going to die"

NEW ZEALAND -- A Dunedin woman viciously attacked by dogs when she was delivering newspapers has recalled her ordeal, as she continues to make a painful recovery.

The woman, who did not want to be named, told Fairfax she was delivering copies of the Otago Daily Times when she was attacked by three Irish wolfhounds.

Now the 54-year-old, who was active, struggles with mobility, has lost her income, and struggles to nod off to sleep because of the horrific memories of her attack.

A Dunedin woman bitten by three Irish wolfhounds is recovering 
at home. Her other injuries are too graphic to show.

"I thought I was going to die," she told Fairfax.

It happened about 6.30am on December 1. Heading down Walter St, Mornington, the woman saw the three giant dogs with their owner, on their morning walk.

It was a familiar sight. She'd seen them before and knew, because the owner had told her, they would be walked in the morning because their size scared people.

"I said 'hello doggies'," the woman told Fairfax.

Then it happened -- the middle dog grabbed her arm. The other two joined in and the pack-attack was on.

The woman was forced down a steep bank. The dogs followed, still in attack mode.

"All I can remember is saying, 'take your f****** dogs off me'. They just tore strips off me," she said as she recalled the graphic details.

"I was screaming for help in a horrible voice, the owner was standing there saying, 'I'm sorry sweetheart, I don't know what to do'," she told Fairfax.

Under siege, the woman used her arms to shield her face and neck from the attacking beasts with "these terrible black eyes".

Soon emergency services were on hand and her flatmate arrived shortly afterwards, greeted with the sight of blood. He thought the woman had been run over.

Then the full horror of what happened was revealed. He saw the woman's calf muscle was missing.

"The dogs would have eaten it and there was flesh all over the driveway," he told Fairfax.

The woman now relies on a crutch. She had been on a benefit and also worked two paper rounds and did some private cleaning work.

(New Zealand Herald - ‎Jan 18, 2016‎)

Earlier:

• Dog attack: 'Pieces of flesh everywhere'
• New Zealand: No compensation for 'horrific' mauling by Irish wolfhounds

New Zealand: No compensation for 'horrific' mauling by Irish wolfhounds

NEW ZEALAND -- The Dunedin victim of a "horrific'' mauling by three Irish wolfhounds has had another blow after learning she will not be compensated for lost income.

The woman was attacked about 6.30am on December 2, leaving her with injuries over much of her body.

The most serious was to her right leg, where little remained of her calf muscle.

Before the attack, the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, worked two part-time jobs to supplement her benefit income, but the injuries left her unable to work.

Thinking it would be a formality, she asked for compensation from ACC for lost income, but was shocked to learn they would not give her compensation on top of her benefit.

A Dunedin woman bitten by three Irish wolfhounds is recovering
at home. Her other injuries are too graphic to show.

Instead, she was told by an ACC staff member it would take a dollar off her benefit for every dollar she received in compensation - which in her situation meant she would be no better off than if she received no compensation at all.

This left her in a "really tough'' financial position.

"I've got no money to pay the phone bill,'' she said.

She was still unsure when her injuries would heal enough to allow her to go to work.

During a visit to Dunedin Hospital last Friday she was told her leg was healing, but some of the graft was not taking.

ACC spokeswoman Stephanie Melville said the issue was caused by the legislation ACC ran under.

"If a person receives a benefit but also works part-time, then they may be entitled to weekly compensation payments for any loss of income as a result of the injury. However, the benefit will normally be reduced by the exact amount of the weekly payments.''

ACC would though cover all the woman's medical treatment and social and vocational rehabilitation needs.

Minister for Social Development Anne Tolley issued a one-line response in response to questions about the case saying: "I've had no advice on this case but have asked MSD to look into it and ensure that the person involved is receiving everything they are entitled to.''

People wishing to donate to the victim of the dog attack can visit https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/wolfhoundattack

(New Zealand Herald - ‎Jan 12, 2016‎)

Earlier:

• Dog attack: 'Pieces of flesh everywhere'

Dog attack: 'Pieces of flesh everywhere'

NEW ZEALAND -- A Dunedin woman required surgery after a dog attack so horrific it was ''more like a shark attack''.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, was delivering the Otago Daily Times in Walter St, in the Glen, about 6.30am yesterday when she was attacked by up to three Irish wolfhounds.

Her partner said the attack was so frenzied it left ''blood everywhere and pieces of flesh everywhere''.

The woman would require multiple operations, including plastic surgery, and it was not yet known if she would walk again, as one of her calf muscles was ''virtually all gone'', the man, who did not wish to be identified, said.

''It's that extreme - it's more like a shark attack,'' he said.

He was also delivering newspapers nearby and had been left shaken and angry after the attack on his partner.

''There are these three dogs controlled by one guy, which is crazy because they are the size of a small horse,'' he said.

''[She] fell to the ground in fright and rolled down a big bank and the dogs just took to her, just tearing chunks off.  'It's made me really, really angry.''

The owner had two of the dogs euthanized and the Dunedin City Council's animal services department was investigating the extent of the third dog's role in the attack, the council said in a statement.

''The dog owner was shaken and distressed by the incident,'' the council said.

''No further decision will be made [on the third dog's fate] until the DCC officers have spoken to the victim.''

Senior Sergeant Craig Brown said the woman's injuries were among the worst he had seen from a dog attack.

''They are pretty severe,'' he said. ''They are very nasty wounds.''

The victim's partner said she was lucky to survive the attack, as the dogs had made attempts to attack her face and throat, leading to defensive wounds on her arms.

''She's not coping well mentally or physically,'' he said. ''She's very, very traumatized.''

Her recovery would take months and would affect her ability to work her three jobs.

''None of her jobs involve sitting down, so she is traumatized by the thought of that [losing income] as well,'' he said.

He thanked the members of the public who came to her aid immediately after the attack, saying they ''were great'' and applied first-aid.

A Dunedin Hospital spokeswoman said the woman was ''progressing well'' after surgery.

Council communications and marketing manager Graham McKerracher said statistics on attacks involving Irish wolfhounds were not immediately available yesterday.

But the breed was not registered as a menacing or aggressive breed and there were limited numbers of them in New Zealand.

(Otago Daily Times - Dec 2, 2015)

Pennsylvania: Loose dog chases 2 girls, paper delivery boy in Lawrenceville

PENNSYLVANIA -- Animal Control officers were called to Lawrenceville after a loose and aggressive dog put an entire neighborhood on edge.

Neighbors said the dog chased two young girls as they were walking to a bus stop. Witnesses said the dog got loose from a home and ran out the front door.

"I heard two girls screaming and a dog barking," said neighbor Stewart Rorison.

"Very aggressive," neighbor Augustus Floyd said. "It was in a stance, and it didn't want anyone around."

Floyd and Rorison said they heard the girls' screams for help and watched as they ran behind a fence to protect themselves.

"The dog was going crazy," said Rorison. "He was looking for something."

A short time later, the dog began chasing a paperboy has he tried walking the girls to the bus stop. He said he used a newspaper to swat the dog away.

"He was walking the kids to school. It lunged at him. It lunged right at him," said Floyd.

The dog eventually ran back into its home after another neighbor threw some lunch meat inside and it took the bait.

"The dog came out and I started feeding it and threw it in the door. I closed the door," said the neighbor.

City animal control officers investigated and said the dog's shots were all up-to-date. Officers said the owner will only get cited if neighbors come forward and testify.

(WPXI - Jul 13, 2012)