A woman who was mauled to death by a dog in Ireland died on her 23rd birthday, her heartbroken sister revealed Wednesday.
The Tuesday night attack near the rural Limerick County village of Ballyneety took the life of Nicole Morey, police and her sister said.
First responders were summoned just before midnight and found Morey inside a property’s gated entrance, The Independent reported. The dog was euthanized, and a number of other aggressive dogs were seized.
“My heart is shattered once again on your birthday,” her sister Jolene Morey wrote on Facebook. “I only hung up on you two seconds before. I really tried my best to help. I’m so sorry Nicole, I love you so much. It feels like a big bad dream.”
The dog was what’s known as an XL bully, a sort of supercharged American bulldog that is not a breed in itself but meets certain standards of height, weight and build.
It’s unknown what prompted the dog to attack her.
The tragedy underscored the need for tighter restrictions on dangerous dogs, Irish officials said as a police investigation got underway. The crossbreed was already banned late last year in England and Wales, according to the Irish Examiner.
“I am absolutely appalled by the news that a woman has died following a dog attack in Limerick,” said Heather Humphreys, Ireland’s Minister for Rural and Community Development, in a statement to local media, noting that she was already working on the issue. “I have consistently said that more action is required in relation to dog control.”
