A 70-year-old woman was found dead inside her Bangkok home on Wednesday (9 Sept) after being fatally attacked by her seven-year-old rescue dog.
She had adopted the animal years earlier to save it from euthanasia, despite it killing its previous owner.
Police, forensic officers and rescue workers arrived at the single-storey house in Soi Nawamin 111, Bueng Kum district at around 6.30pm, after being alerted to the incident.
Authorities then found the body of the owner, Ms Wandee, lying in a pool of blood.
She had severe injuries to her body, including her face, neck, and arms.
Nearby was Giant, a seven-year-old male American Pitbull-Bandog mix.
Source: มูลนิธิร่วมกตัญญู on Facebook
According to Ch7 News, responders spent more than three hours trying to restrain the dog before finally securing it and accessing its owner’s body.
Initial investigations found that Ms Wandee did not live in the house but visited almost every day to feed and clean Giant.
Meanwhile, a housekeeper stayed at the property full-time to look after the dog.
Source: NAKON45 อัญวุฒิ โพธิ์อำไพ on Facebook
On the day of the incident, Ms Wandee and the housekeeper were trying to put on the dog’s collar when it suddenly became aggressive and attacked her.
Neighbours said construction workers nearby heard the commotion and rushed to help, initially thinking they were dealing with a snake.
When they looked inside, they saw Giant attacking Ms Wandee but were unable to enter the enclosure to help.
Source: มูลนิธิร่วมกตัญญู on Facebook
Giant made headlines in 2021 after it killed its previous owner.
According to AmarinTV, the 56-year-old man, who had raised the then-two-year-old dog since it was three months old, was sleeping when it bit his neck.
The victim sustained wounds on his right neck, a torn right ear and a puncture wound behind his left ear. He also had an open wound on his scalp.
Giant lived in a shelter before Ms Wandee, who was known for caring for stray animals, decided to adopt the dog after learning it faced possible euthanasia.
Ms Wandee’s body was sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police General Hospital for an autopsy.
Officials from the Bueng Kum district office and animal welfare agencies later worked together to remove Giant from the property and relocate it to an animal shelter.
The dog is set to undergo physical examination and psychological assessment to find out its triggers.
Advocates would then decide whether it will be euthanised.
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Featured image adapted from NAKON45 อัญวุฒิ โพธิ์อำไพ on Facebook and มูลนิธิร่วมกตัญญู on Facebook.