British grandmother killed by stray pit bull she had adopted at her Spanish home had been warned
British grandmother killed by stray pit bull she adopted into her Spanish home had been warned by a vet not to take him in because it was dangerous, police reveal
- Anne Shields, 67, died after rescued pit bull Choccy suddenly turned on her
- She died in hospital after suffering “catastrophic” head and arm injuries
A British grandmother who was killed by a stray dog she took in was warned by a vet not to care for it because it was dangerous, Spanish police have revealed.
Police have confirmed they have identified the owner of the stray dog and are investigating him on suspicion of manslaughter.
Kind-hearted Anne Shields, 67, took the dog into her Spanish home after finding him starving, but suffered ‘catastrophic’ head and arm injuries four days later after he turned on her.
The police had to shoot the animal to save former guard Anne, but she died in hospital.
Today, police investigators said in their first official comments that the dog’s owner had been identified despite not having a microchip.
Anne Shields, 67, (pictured) has died after suffering ‘catastrophic’ injuries when the pit bull she rescued suddenly turned on her
Ms Shields was attacked by the dog, which she named Choccy, at her holiday home in Spain. She had taken him in like a starving stray
They also confirmed that he was prohibited from owning pit bulls and other dogs classified as ‘potentially dangerous’ in Spain due to previous offences.
He has been described as a 35-year-old Spaniard, but has not been named by detectives.
A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil in Valencia, near Anne’s estate in Macastre, said: “The Guardia Civil is investigating the owner of a dog who attacked a woman in Macastre in February and eventually died as a result of her injuries .
The 67-year-old British victim had to be rushed to hospital after officers killed the animal with their guns so they could help her because of the animal’s aggressiveness.
She died a day after being admitted to hospital from the injuries to her arms.
“The victim had found the animal in an acute state of malnutrition and with clear signs of abandonment, with diseases such as dog mange, four days before it ended its life.
“She was warned by the vet who saw the animal that it was dangerous and she shouldn’t take it home, but she ignored the warnings.
Detectives began an investigation to identify the dog’s owner after discovering that it did not have a microchip.
They took 15 statements from different people and obtained photos of the animal, which was about two years old, at different stages of its life.
“The man now under investigation, as well as some of his relatives, recognized the animal when they showed the photographs obtained.
‘He is known to the police and because of his past he was not allowed to keep these types of dogs under current Spanish law.
Officers also found that he had had dogs with similar characteristics without proper protection and care.
“Detectives investigated his home and observed the places where the dog could have escaped, the suspect himself acknowledged in his statement.
“He is a 35-year-old Spaniard who was formally questioned and charged with manslaughter and another pet crime for abandoning a dog considered potentially dangerous.”
A local investigating judge has now taken over an ongoing criminal investigation into the February 24 incident.
Anne had named the dog Choccy after taking him in. Neighbors raised the alarm after hearing her scream as she was attacked.
Her daughter Sarah, 43, from Preston, said in the wake of her widowed mother’s death: ‘She was an animal lover and couldn’t bear the thought of throwing Choccy back onto the street.
“It had never been her intention to keep the dog, but all animal shelters were full.
“She took care of him until she found someone who could take him.
“She stayed with him and then this happened. It’s a nightmare.’
Pit bulls are banned in the UK, but not in Spain, where a license is required to own one.