Female Rottweilers feared in Perth community before dog attacks on Success
A Rottweiler who brutally mauled its owner and left her fighting for life in hospital was known to be aggressive among neighbors after once chasing a parcel courier.
Nikita Piil, 31, is recovering at Royal Perth Hospital after being attacked by her dog Bronx at her home in the Perth suburb of Success just before 5pm on September 16.
Police officers had tried to taser the seven-year-old Rottweiler but ended up using their firearms when the dog could not be separated from Ms Piil. Bronx was later euthanized by a veterinarian.
Ms Piil’s other Rottweiler, four-year-old Harlem, is being held at the Cockburn pound, where rangers are investigating whether the dog is safe to return to the community.
A neighbor has now said that locals were ‘scared’ of the two dogs and that they personally witnessed one of them attack a courier who was trying to deliver a parcel to Ms Piil’s home.
Nikita Piil (pictured) was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries to her arms and legs after being attacked by her dogs. She could lose her arm due to a bacterial infection
Ms Piil’s Facebook page was largely dedicated to her two Rottweilers (above), with the 31-year-old describing the Bronx elder as ‘incredible, sassy, loyal, intelligent and protective’
“I saw one of them chasing a delivery man one day four to six months ago,” the resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The West Australian.
The neighbor said that when the front door – which has a “Beware of the Rottweiler” sign – was opened, the dog burst through and headed straight for the courier.
‘A man tried to drag him back in. The delivery man was holding his arm… I couldn’t tell if he had been bitten.’
No attacks by the dogs have previously been reported to the municipality, but there were two reports of excessive barking in 2022.
The neighbor also claimed that in the aftermath of the attack, another resident on the street said Ms Piil would only walk the dogs one at a time due to their size and strength.
Ms Piil’s family announced last week that she will have to undergo dozens more operations and that a bacterial infection from the dog bites could force doctors to amputate her arm.
She has already undergone five emergency operations, lasting a total of 13 hours, as doctors continue to work to save her arm.
Her family revealed to GoFundMe that the surgeries alone may not be enough to save her arm, as bacterial infections in dogs cause “ongoing serious complications.”
Ms. Piil’s sister Natasha previously said Nikita loved Harlem and the Bronx because something had confused the dogs.
Ms Piil has undergone five emergency operations, lasting a total of 13 hours, as doctors continue to work to save her arm
Her sister said Ms Piil (pictured) was trying to calm the dogs down because something was confusing them
Nikita Piil (pictured cuddling a Rottweiler) suffered severe bites and extensive blood loss after her two Rottweilers attacked her
Neighbors tried to punch Ms Piil’s fence and use a snake to distract the attacking dogs before drawing their weapons (pictured, emergency services outside Ms Piil’s home on Saturday)
“Unfortunately, she was caught in the crossfire while calming her dogs due to an incident nearby. There is more to this story than what the media has been telling,” she said.
On the day of the attack, police arrived at least ten long minutes after neighbors first heard Ms. Piil’s screams.
Ms Piil remains in a serious but stable condition after major blood loss.
It remains unclear what prompted the dogs to attack their owner.
The fundraiser has raised more than $15,000 in donations to date out of a $30,000 goal.