Dog attack: Man seriously injured in Elche

A MAN was seriously injured after being attacked by two dogs as he walked down the road toward the local cemetery in the rural area of Carrus, on the outskirts of Elche.
The 64-year-old was set upon by two vicious dogs, thrown against the wall of a nearby villa and badly mauled as he tried to get away. The owners of the villa heard the commotion and managed to open their door to let him inside.
A SAMU ambulance administered medical care for open wounds in the man’s left leg and wrist, along with multiple bites and bruising. A second ambulance transferred him to Vinalopo Hospital for further treatment before being discharged several hours later.
Two 092 patrols of the Local Police attended the scene of the attack. One of the dogs was shot straight away as it showed so much aggression the police felt unable to get out of the patrol car. The other ran away home where it remains under supervision of the local Administrative Unit pending documentation checks and possible prosecution for the owner. The two dogs were thought to be a mixed breed, part Pitbull, requiring strict licensing and registration.
A resident of the house next door, Vicenta Lillo, experienced the same behaviour with the dogs, minutes before the attack: “They appeared right behind me, if I had taken a second longer to open the door I don’t know what might have happened.”
Any person owning a potentially dangerous dog in Spain must have an appropriate licence and the dog must be locally registered with the municipality. Handlers and walkers of dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs must also be licensed according to the law and a licence is valid for five years.
Editor’s note: Dog owners should check with their local town hall as some regulations may vary from town to town.