An elderly woman is recovering in hospital after she was mauled by an ‘out of control’ dog which ‘clamped’ down on her leg, nearly taking her foot.
Ambulance crews were called to Novar Gardens in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs about 1.30pm Wednesday by David Thackar after he managed to free his wife Patricia, 78, from the dog, understood to be a Staffie cross.
Mr Thacker said the dog had escaped from a neighbour’s yard and made a beeline for his wife who happened to be outside.
‘It just hurtled through the garden bed and just latched onto Pat’s foot,’ Mr Thackar told 7 News.
He said the dog then tried to drag her off and he noticed the extent of her injury as he pulled her free.
‘I’ve never seen anything like that, you could almost see through her foot … It just started backing off, pulling and pulling on her with its jaws clamped on over her toes.
Patricia Thackar, 78, nearly lost her foot in the dog attack and is recovering in hospital
Mr Thackar said that he ‘dragged’ his wife through the door and then shut it ‘in case the animal came back again.’
Ms Thackar was treated at Royal Adelaide Hospital where she underwent a cumulative 18 hours in surgery to repair the damage to her foot.
She remains in hospital in a stable condition with Mr Thackar saying she will need months of recovery and rehabilitation.
The dog has been seized by West Torrens Council animal control officers who are investigating whether it is safe to be released.