A woman in her 20s was last night in a stable condition in hospital after suffering serious injuries when she was attacked by a pit bull mastiff in her home in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.
The woman, who is originally from Croatia, suffered serious injuries to her arms when the dog, which belongs to her partner, attacked her at their home.
Neighbours said they heard the woman screaming for help when she was attacked by the dog in the backyard of her rented house at Upper Cork Street at about 9.15am.
A woman living nearby raised the alarm and gardaí from Mitchelstown Garda station, which is just a few doors away on Upper Cork Street, went to the scene where they found the woman being attacked.
Gardaí had to draw their batons and repeatedly strike the dog with the weapons to get it to release the woman, who was said to be in a very distraught state.
She was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to try and save her hands, which were badly injured in the attack.
Gardaí managed to get the dog to a secure area where it was last night being held until its owner returns home.
It is expected that the animal will be put down following the attack.
