A desperately ill 83-year-old woman was in hospital last night after being attacked by four pitbull cross dogs in her own backyard in Rio de Mouro in Sintra.
The dogs – belonging to a taxi driver described as owning 27 dogs – are understood to have jumped into the yard early on Sunday morning.
The woman, described only as Lucília, tried to shoo them away. Her actions caused the dogs to lunge at her arms to the point that one was described as being “all open” and pouring with blood.
A widow, without children, the elderly victim is understood to have previously lost a kidney and half of her liver.
Two years ago she was diagnosed with cancer of the intestines, writes Correio da Manhã.
She is now in hospital as police have informed the dogs’ owner Paulo Jorge Portela to deliver them to the municipal kennels.
Neighbours have apparently been the complaining about the man’s dogs, but he claims they are all legal.
Lucília’s ordeal may well have been much worse if it hadn’t been for the quick thinking of witnesses who joined forces to throw water over the dogs, and threaten them with a stick.
According to press reports today, the site where the woman was attacked is still tainted by blood-spill.
