Pit bull terrier shot in Cork by garda emergency response unit after attack on woman

A pit bull terrier dog has been shot by the Garda Emergency Response Unit in Co Cork after an incident on Thursday evening in which a woman was injured.

The incident occurred at a private house on Connolly Road, Ballyphehane in Cork city shortly after 5pm. It occurred days after Nicola Morey (23) was killed at her house in Ballyneety, Limerick after being mauled by her XL bully, a larger version of an American pit bull.

Gardaí were called to the scene after the dog injured a woman, biting her arm and leg, in the back yard of the woman’s home.

Another family member was bitten in the arm after attempting to restrain the dog.

Pit bull terriers are on the list of 11 restricted dog breeds in Ireland.

Gardaí requested support from the Emergency Response Unit unit on the scene of the attack.

A vet was called, but after failed attempts to sedate the dog, it was shot by a member of the Armed Support Unit, before being euthanised by the vet.

The two people who were injured were taken to Cork University Hospital, where they received treatment for soft tissue injuries.

Speaking to PJ Coogan on Cork’s 96FM Opinionline show, Vincent Cashman, who works for the CSPCA, said: “A pit bull can do damage. It was very pent up, very agitated. There was several attempts made to catch the dog and then the decision was made to shoot him … It was very, very quick,” he said.

Dogs of this breed are “very big, powerful animals”, Cashman said.

“We had one come into us here and it was 11 stone. The severity of a potential attack … it’s very strong,” he said.