Gardai have seized a dog following an attack on a jogger in Donegal on Sunday morning.
The man, who is in his 20s, was attacked and bitten as he ran on the greenway between Muff and Quigley’s Point on the Inishowen Peninsula.
He received a serious leg injury and had to be rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry for emergency treatment.
Gardai launched an immediate investigation in the aftermath of the attack and identified a dog which they believed was involved in the incident.
Yesterday, Gardai obtained a warrant under the Control of Dogs Act 1986 at Letterkenny District Court.
Having obtained the warrant, Gardai and members of the Dog Warden unit called to a private residence in the Muff area.
After some consultation with the dog’s owner, a Rottweiler dog was removed from the house.
No arrests were made as a result of the incident.
It is now understood to be under the care of the Dog Warden.
Both the owner of the dog and the victim have made statements to Gardai about the incident.
The attack has led local County Councillor Terry Crossan to demand a shake-up in the local dog warden services.
The veteran Sinn Fein politician said the service is not adequate and needs more funding.
“I want to pay particular praise to the Gardai in dealing with this situation and taking control of it once they realised the seriousness of this incident.
“This man was lucky to escape even though his injuries are very serious.
“If this was a child the consequences could have been much worse and it’s not even worth considering that,” he said.
He added: “We have a dog warden service in Donegal that needs to be addressed because at present it is not available at weekends or bank holidays or in emergency situations as far as I can see.”
Councillor Crossan said he now plans to bring forward a motion to Donegal County Council surrounding the whole area of dog control and dog warden services in the county.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí in Muff were alerted to a report of a man who was bitten by a dog that occurred on the morning of Sunday 16th June, 2024 in Muff.
“A man, aged in his 20s received medical attention, his injuries are not life threatening.”
Tags: