A 70-year-old grandmother is dead after being mauled to death by a canine belonging to a breed that has reportedly been banned in the United Kingdom.
The tragic incident happened on Friday while the grandmother was sunbathing in the backyard of her home in Bedworth, Warwickshire, according to Daily Mail.
The victim's 49-year-old daughter, who owns the dog, was also bitten during the fatal mauling when attempting to intervene and was treated at the hospital. Both the daughter and her 52-year-old husband were arrested for owning a banned dog breed, the outlet reports.
Authorities did not disclose the breed of dog but the victim's neighbor told the outlet that it resembled a "big head" that resembled "a bulldog-Mastiff type."
"When [the dog’s owner] said he got it, he said it was a rare breed and there were only six in the country," the neighbor told Daily Mail, who lives across the street and asked to remain anonymous.
The neighbor said that the dog never showed any signs of aggression before the fatal attack, and was kept in the back garden.
"No one knows why it attacked and killed the poor woman, it could have gone crazy after being stung by a bee or it could have had something wrong with its brain," the man said. "It could be anything."
Another neighbor came forward to the Daily Mail and said the dog was large in stature, lived outside, and appeared to be healthy.
"I heard the air ambulance coming over and then saw all the other emergency services turn up," they said. "I have no idea of the breed of dog but it was a big one and lived outside."
According to legislation, the following dog breeds are banned in the United Kingdom: American pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos, and Fila Brasileiros.
Sutherland Lane, Warwickshire Police Superintendent, told the outlet that the investigation is ongoing and urged community members that might have any information to report it to the police.
"Thankfully dog attacks of this nature are exceedingly rare, but I recognized this will be deeply upsetting for the local community," Lane told Daily Mail.
The tragic incident happened on Friday while the grandmother was sunbathing in the backyard of her home in Bedworth, Warwickshire, according to Daily Mail.
The victim's 49-year-old daughter, who owns the dog, was also bitten during the fatal mauling when attempting to intervene and was treated at the hospital. Both the daughter and her 52-year-old husband were arrested for owning a banned dog breed, the outlet reports.
Authorities did not disclose the breed of dog but the victim's neighbor told the outlet that it resembled a "big head" that resembled "a bulldog-Mastiff type."
"When [the dog’s owner] said he got it, he said it was a rare breed and there were only six in the country," the neighbor told Daily Mail, who lives across the street and asked to remain anonymous.
The neighbor said that the dog never showed any signs of aggression before the fatal attack, and was kept in the back garden.
"No one knows why it attacked and killed the poor woman, it could have gone crazy after being stung by a bee or it could have had something wrong with its brain," the man said. "It could be anything."
Another neighbor came forward to the Daily Mail and said the dog was large in stature, lived outside, and appeared to be healthy.
"I heard the air ambulance coming over and then saw all the other emergency services turn up," they said. "I have no idea of the breed of dog but it was a big one and lived outside."
According to legislation, the following dog breeds are banned in the United Kingdom: American pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos, and Fila Brasileiros.
Sutherland Lane, Warwickshire Police Superintendent, told the outlet that the investigation is ongoing and urged community members that might have any information to report it to the police.
"Thankfully dog attacks of this nature are exceedingly rare, but I recognized this will be deeply upsetting for the local community," Lane told Daily Mail.
