Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A WOMAN AND a young boy were hospitalised last weekend after they were attacked by a dog in Co Clare.
Gardaí are investigating the incident, which happened at 10.55am at O’Briensbridge on Saturday, 8 August.
A garda spokesperson said that attempts were made to sedate the dog, which was a sheepdog, and that it had to be neutralised and removed from the scene by the Dog Warden.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One programme, Clare County dog warden Frankie Coote said gardaí contacted him when they attended the scene and found that the sheepdog had attacked the woman on the road.
“The gardaí went to the scene and they were getting attacked by the dog, so they rang me as a matter of urgency and asked me to get there as quickly as I could,” he said.
The woman, aged in her 50s, was then removed from the scene and taken to hospital to be treated for injuries which are not believed to be life threatening.
Coote said a young boy had been walking on the road when the dog then attacked him.
“The young boy was hospitalised and released that evening after a few stitches, but the woman’s injuries were more serious, gardaí told us.”
He said the dog was “extremely vicious” and that he had “no choice” but to sedate it.
“It was unreal for a sheepdog… I did eventually secure the dog and bring him away and he was brought to the vet then.
“He was an unbelievable, most savage dog I had seen in any breed.”
Coote said the dog had been chained at the property, adding that when a dog is trying and failing to get free, it can become more and more aggressive.
“This dog had gone rogue. I’m not exaggerating to say that I honestly believe if we hadn’t removed him on the day, he was capable of actually killing an older person or a child.”
He said any breed can be vicious, adding that in all the years he had been in the job, the most dangerous dog he had ever encountered was a black Labrador.
“This fella, I’d put in as the second worst I’ve ever seen.”
He said the attack took place in “exceptional circumstances”.
“[It was a] terrible scene to see. I hadn’t seen anything like that before, where you come and a dog is a danger. But it’s removed now anyway and it’s gone.”
Gardaí said investigations into the matter are ongoing.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site