A woman has come to the defence of her dogs after they were accused of two horrific attacks on locals in 24 hours.
The Melbourne dog’s owner, who asked to remain anonymous, said Sunday she would have locked up her pets if she had been told about the first incident.
Victoria Police said a 71-year-old woman was left bleeding after being thrown to the ground and bitten on the face, legs and back in Sunbury on Thursday.
Two men managed to take the dogs away from the old woman, but were also injured in the attack.
The dogs were seen alone the next day before attacking a new mother pushing a stroller with her baby as she walked to school to pick up her eldest son.
Neighbours were alerted to the incident after hearing the mother’s screams, only to find her “bleeding from her head, ears and nose”.
Both women were taken to the hospital where they underwent surgery for their injuries.
Among those who came to the mother’s aid was the dogs’ owner, who said she felt “humiliated” and “remorseful” for what her pets had done.
A Melbourne dog owner (pictured) said she should have been told her pets had attacked an elderly woman so she could lock them up before they attacked a mother the next day.
Several neighbours have said they had complained about the dogs (pictured) to local Hume Council before they left both women needing surgery for their injuries.
However, the owner said she should have been told about the initial attack because “it would have kept them inside.”
She told 7News she had “put my body on top of the woman” to try to stop the attack and was grateful they had not turned their attention to the baby.
“It’s been really heartbreaking for me and I’m just praying for her,” she said.
“I’m so, so happy that the baby is okay… The dogs didn’t get near the baby, thank God.”
He also expressed his apologies to the local council and community for the incidents, adding that he loved his dogs who “were my family”.
But neighbors said what happened was inevitable as the dogs constantly escaped from their backyard and had been terrorizing them for months.
“They’ve been reported many times,” Jackson said. “They scare the hell out of you.”
At least five residents said they had complained to Hume Council about the dogs, but nothing was ever done.
On one occasion, a neighbour was told they would have to restrain the dogs themselves before rangers came to investigate.
The dogs were seen alone the next day before attacking a new mother who was pushing a stroller with her baby to pick up an older child from school.
Another local, Anna Jackson, said the incidents on Thursday and Friday were not the first time dogs had bitten someone.
“About two or three months ago… the dogs were outside and Christopher was trying to push him away, but the dog just came up to him and bit him on the left leg,” she said.
When Hume Council was asked why the dogs were not removed from the property after the first attack, one councillor said there was a “process” to follow.
“You can’t just walk onto a property and take a dog. That’s the problem, even if it attacks you. You have to go through a process,” said Councilman Jack Medcraft.
The dogs were removed on Saturday and euthanized.
“I really pray for that woman and I hope she can forgive me,” the dog owner said.