A woman was killed in an attack by her pet XL Bully on her 23rd birthday, and police shot the animal dead at the scene.
The young woman, named Nicole Morey, was savagely attacked by at least one of her dogs near her home in Ballyneety, Co. Limerick, at around 11.40pm on Tuesday night.
Police said members of the Regional Armed Support Unit who responded to the property encountered “several aggressive dogs,” one of them euthanized and the rest seized.
Morey was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination.
The attack comes after the pet owner confided on a Facebook page with dog training advice that his XL Bully was “freaking out” before going for a walk.
The young woman, locally named Nicole Morey, was savagely attacked by the dog at a house in County Limerick at around 11.40pm on Tuesday night.
Nicole’s sister Jolene posted on Facebook to pay tribute to her, saying: “My heart is broken.”
“When I go to put my XL on the leash to walk, he freaks out running to the door with excitement, but almost too excited for us to put the leash and collar on him,” she said in a post on the page in February. .
XL Bullies are not banned in Ireland, but are subject to restrictions, such as mandatory muzzles, when in public.
Local reports have suggested there were four dogs at the property, including an XL Bully and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
The dog involved in the incident was euthanized and several others were seized by the dog warden.
An investigation is underway and the site is under technical examination.
Tributes have poured in for Mrs Morey, who friends have described as the “kindest woman in the world”.
Paying tribute to her sister, Jolene Morey posted on Facebook: ‘My heart is broken once again on your birthday. I only hung up on you for two seconds before doing everything I could to help you. I’m so sorry, Nicole, I love you so much it seems like a bad dream.
Local councilor Brigid Teefy called the incident “terrible”.
“I was talking to people on the phone and everyone was horrified,” he said. ‘It’s a horrible story. It is very rare for something like this to happen.
Another councilor, Conor Sheehan, said the incident was “very, very tragic” and his deepest sympathies are with the woman’s family.
Councilor Adam Teskey also sent his condolences and said there is shock among locals. “This is a heartbreaking time in our community,” he said.
Rural minister Heather Humphreys, who recently set up a group to examine dog control, said she was “horrified” by the “deeply shocking incident”.
The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene following the attack on Tuesday night.
“I was shocked and sickened when I heard the news this morning about this young woman who was savagely murdered by a dog, and my thoughts and prayers are with her family.”
In a statement, he said: “A Garda investigation is underway and it is important that we establish the facts about what happened.”
‘I have consistently said that more action is required in relation to dog control.
“That’s why I have set up an intergovernmental stakeholder group, chaired by retired Garda Deputy Commissioner John Twomey, to look at this whole area.”
He said he asked the group to examine the list of restricted breeds and whether Ireland should follow the lead of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
‘If you recommend that we should ban a particular breed, I will be happy to do so. “But I want to let them do their job because there are different points of view and different approaches to it and I want to make sure we do it right.”
There are several restricted breeds in Ireland, including German shepherds, Rottweilers and various bull terriers, as well as some crossbreeds.
Restricted dogs must be kept on a collar with their owner’s information on a tag, muzzled in public, and on a short, strong leash with someone over 16 who can control them.
XL Bullies are not banned in Ireland but are subject to restrictions, including mandatory muzzles when in public (stock image)
When asked when the task force’s work will end, Ms Humphreys said they have held several meetings to date.
“Today I will speak with the president again to find out exactly what his current situation is, but I know that they have already met on several occasions and that these will be issues that they will examine,” he said.
A Gardaí spokesperson said: “At approximately 11.40pm last night, Tuesday 4 June 2024, Gardaí received a report and attended an incident where a woman (23) was fatally injured following a dog attack in a domestic residence in Ballyneety, Co. Limerick”.
“The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.”
They added: ‘His body has been removed from the scene to the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
