Woman mauled by Irish wolfhounds: 'I felt like I was going to die'

An Irish wolfhound similar to the ones that attacked the newspaper delivery woman in Dunedin. Photo / iStock

The victim of a "horrific" Dunedin dog attack thought she was going to die as three Irish wolfhounds savagely mauled her.

The woman, who was attacked about 6.30am on December 2, was discharged from Dunedin Hospital on Friday and spoke about her ordeal yesterday in an interview with the Otago Daily Times.

This came as the Dunedin City Council yesterday laid charges against the owner of three Irish wolfhounds - which are the tallest of all dog breeds.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, faces a long recovery after the attack which happened as she was delivering the ODT in Walter St, in the Glen, about 6.30am.

As she walked past the three dogs she gave a little wave and said hello to the dogs, who were with their owner. At that point, a male dog "lurched out" and bit her right arm, leaving her with a "horrific" injury.

Then "the other two took over as well", with the dogs following her after she rolled down a bank.

The three dogs made noises, "like a pack of wolves", as they attacked.

"It felt like I was going to die, because it was so horrific."

The attack left her with injuries over much of her body, with the most serious being to her right leg, where nothing remained of her calf muscle.

She had also lost the income from the three jobs she had before she was attacked. "I can't pay my bills."

Council communications and marketing manager Graham McKerracher said it had laid charges against the owner under section 57 (attack on a person) and section 58 (serious attack on a person) of the Dog Control Act 1996.