The case of the woman and her daughter who were attacked by two Rottweilers in Armila in 2022 has made its way through the courts.

The dog owners have been sentenced to 2-years’ imprisonment for negligent harm caused to a 5-year-old girl and her mother in October of 2022. The mother’s severe injuries were the result of wrestling the two dogs to protect her daughter. She actually lost consciousness from the pain of her injuries.

The judge emphasised that the case dealt with a dangerous-dog breed according to the standing law. Experts called to give evidence before the court explained that given their weight and size, they were capable of inflicted fatal injuries. These dogs won’t release a bite hold until they are commanded to or are prised off.

Furthermore, the owners had not trained them in basic obedience and on that day of the 22nd of October, the dogs had been tied to a fence but without muzzles yet with enough rope so that they could reach outside the property’s entrace.

It was around 20.00h when the mother passed in front of the house with her husband and daughter and were on their way to eat at a nearby restaurant. Suddenly, the mother saw that one of the dogs had caught her daughter by her coat and was trying to drag her inside the property.

Thinking only of her daughter’s safety she launched herself at the dog, which was when the second dog attacked the mother, bitting her in the thigh and dragging her to the ground. The first dog then released the daughter and went for the mother, as well, biting her in the face. Both dogs began dragging her in opposite directions. This was when she fell unconscious from the pain.

The father, in the meantime, got his daughter out of the premises and then went to the aid of his wife, hitting and kicking the dogs and was soon joined by a third person.

The judge considered that the owners were well aware of how dangerous the dogs were yet despite this, did not take even take the most elemental precautions to prevent them from causing harm to passersby.

This was not the only case of a similar nature because one of these dogs attacked another child in February 2023 when it was supposed to be in the care of a kennel until the trial was held. The woman-owner had taken the dog, without permission, from the kennel (situated in Ventas de Huelma) for a walk without a muzzle…

This time it caused injuries to the head and back of a young girl. This second episode is under investigation with both the woman and the kennel owner facing charges.

Editorial comment: although a 2-year, jail sentence is automatically a suspended one if the person has no previous convictions, as this woman is pending another court sentence, if found guilty she will definitely go to prison, where quite frankly, she belongs.

(News: Armilla, Vega, Granada, Andalucia)

Keywords: Kennel, Rottweilers, Attack, Without Muzzle, Mother, Daughter, Husband, Tied Up, Jail Sentence.

Reader’s comment: “Given the severity of the unprovoked attack (as you describe it) it is surprising that it took over 2 years to reach a sentencing. And, a suspended sentence, whether 1st offence or not, seems a total lack of justice for the victims.” – Pete Saunders