Garda mauled in second dog attack

A GARDA became the second person within 36 hours to be mauled in Cork by a savage pit bull terrier.

The latest attack happened when the Gurranabraher-based garda and a colleague were called to an incident at Tower, near Blarney.

At about 4am yesterday, the two gardaí arrived at a house where they were confronted by a pit bull terrier.

The dog lunged at both men before latching onto one garda’s leg.

Superintendent Con Cadogan said that the garda’s colleague was forced to use his Asp extendable baton a number of times to beat off the dog.

The injured garda, who is in his late 20s, was rushed to Cork University Hospital where he was treated for a deep wound.

He was later discharged.

“He was badly bitten, but is making a recovery,” Supt Cadogan said.

He said that the owners of the dog would be brought to court following the incident.

“We will be recommending to the judge that the dog be put down. Dogs like these need to be properly controlled by their owners,” the superintendent said.

“If it had attacked a child there could have been fatal consequences,” Supt Cadogan said.

Last Saturday afternoon, a woman jogger was attacked by another pit bull.

She was jogging at Coolbannin, on the N72 Mallow to Killarney road when the dog launched an attack.

The pit bull locked onto the 27-year-old woman and bit her several times, causing several deep wounds to her fingers, hands and arms.