A woman has been killed by in an attack by her pet XL Bully on her 23rd birthday, according to locals, with police shooting the animal dead at the scene.
The young woman, named as Nicole Morey, was savaged by at least one of her dogs near her house in Ballyneety, Co. Limerick, at around 11.40pm on Tuesday night.
Gardai said members of the Regional Armed Support Unit who attended the property encountered ‘a number of aggressive dogs’, with one put down and the rest seized.
The dog owner was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination.
Her sister Jolene posted on Facebook: ‘My heart is shattered once again on your birthday. I only hung up on you two seconds before I really tried my best to help. I’m so sorry Nicole I love you so much it feels like a bad dream.’
The dog involved in the incident was put down and several others have been seized by the dog warden.
An investigation is under way at Roxboro Road Garda Station and the scene is being held for a technical examination.
Local councillor Brigid Teefy described the incident as ‘terrible’.
‘I was talking to people on the phone and everybody is horrified,’ she said. ‘It’s a horrific story. It’s so rare that there’s an occurrence like that.’
Another councillor, Conor Sheehan, said the incident was ‘very, very tragic’ and that his sympathies go out to the woman’s family.
Councillor Adam Teskey also sent his condolences, and said there is shock among locals. ‘This is a harrowing moment in our community,’ he said.
Rural Minister Heather Humphreys, who recently set up a group to examine dog control, said she was ‘appalled’ by the ‘deeply shocking incident’.
‘I was appalled and sickened when I heard the news this morning about this young woman who was savagely killed by a dog, and my thoughts and my prayers are with her family.’
In a statement, she said: ‘A Garda investigation is under way and it’s important we establish the facts on what happened.
‘I have consistently said that more action is required in relation to dog control.
‘That’s why I have set up a cross-governmental stakeholder group, chaired by the retired deputy garda commissioner John Twomey, to examine this whole area.’
She said she has asked the group to examine the restricted breeds list and whether Ireland should follow the example of the UK and Northern Ireland.
‘If they recommend to me that we should ban a particular breed, I’m happy to do that. But I want to let them carry out their work because there’s a number of different views and different approaches on this and I want to make sure we get it right.’
There are several restricted breeds in Ireland, including German shepherds, rottweilers and various bull terriers, as well as some crosses.
Restricted dogs must be kept collared with their owner’s information on a tag, muzzled in public and on a short, strong lead with someone over the age of 16 who is able to control them.
Asked when the working group’s work will be completed, Ms Humphreys said they have held a number of meetings to date.
‘I will be speaking with the chair again today to find out exactly what their current situation is but I know they’ve met on a number of occasions already and these would be issues that they’ll be looking at,’ she said.
A gardai spokesperon said: ‘At approximately 11.40pm last night, Tuesday 4th June 2024, Gardaí received report and attended an incident where a woman (23) was fatally injured following a dog attack at a domestic residence in Ballyneety, Co. Limerick.
‘The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.’
They added: ‘Her body has been removed from the scene to Mid Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, where a Post Mortem examination will take place.