Terrified neighbours see dog kill owner

A 39-year-old woman was savaged to death by her pet bull mastiff dog yesterday.

Terrified elderly neighbours could only look on as the fatal attack, which started inside Carol Leeanne Taylor's home in the Dunedin suburb of Caversham, spilled on to the back lawn.

Blood and upturned furniture in the lounge told a gory story.

Neighbour Melva Dixon told how she watched helplessly as Mrs Taylor fought for her life.

Mrs Dixon, 72, said she saw Mrs Taylor trying to fight the dog off while sitting on the ground in the back yard of her home.

Blood was coming from a bite on her arm.

Mrs Dixon stayed behind a solid gate blocking access to the back yard and called out to Mrs Taylor, but was answered only by screams.

"I said to her 'do you want the ambulance?' I could not understand what she was saying, because there was only screams and yells.

"With that the dog rushed over to the gate and left her on the ground."

Mrs Dixon was alerted to the horror when she heard high-pitched squealing noises "like a cat" coming from next door about 3.50pm.

She peeked over a fence separating the two houses and could see the dog with "something on the ground".

"I had thoughts of taking the broom or something, but I started to panic and I just went around to the side gate of the house empty-handed."

Mrs Dixon said she was afraid to open the gate to try to intervene for fear of being attacked herself.

When she yelled out, and the dog rushed to the gate, Ms Taylor remained sitting on the ground.

Mrs Dixon rushed to another house and called emergency services.

By the time she returned to the gate Ms Taylor was lying in a gathering pool of blood.

Other neighbours had also gathered, but could do nothing.

Senior Sergeant Phil McDouall said the attack started inside Ms Taylor's house.

"There was a confrontation in the lounge, then the dog has dragged her outside and the attack has continued," he said.

"The ferocity of the attack meant neighbours weren't able to get in to help for fear of their own safety."

Ms Taylor, a sickness beneficiary, received major head and upper body injuries from the attack, which took place about 4pm.

On hearing screams, neighbours called emergency services. Ms Taylor was still alive when police arrived, but she died within minutes.

The tan bull mastiff is thought to have released her on its own accord and was wandering around the back yard in an "agitated" state when police arrived, Mr McDouall said.

It was destroyed by police.

"It was still growling and wandering around very agitated while we were trying to resuscitate the owner."

Police did not know what had prompted the attack.

Mr McDouall said the Dunedin City Council animal control team had been called to the address after a neighbour complained of the dog's barking.

One neighbour said Ms Taylor had considered getting it destroyed because she was afraid of it.

Pauleen Tangimetua said the dog frightened Ms Taylor so much that she had called animal control herself for help.

Ms Taylor called dog control to the house in June when she could not stop the dog ripping her clothes, but withdrew consent for it to be taken to the pound.

Victim Support was at the scene yesterday supporting neighbours. Police asked reporters not to approach an 88-year-old man who saw the attack and was severely shaken by what he had seen.

Ms Taylor's body was removed at 5.30pm and Mr McDouall said inquiries would continue on behalf of the coroner.


Dominion bull mastiff club secretary Simone Mearns, of Auckland, was last night dismayed a "gentle and friendly" breed was linked to the death.

- NZPA