Woman sues over vicious 90-minute attack by Japanese Akito dog

A woman who spent 11 days in intensive care after being attacked by a dog allegedly owned by her late father just days after his funeral has sued for damages in the High Court.

The attack on Olivia Donnelly by a Japanese Akito dog called Bran lasted ninety minutes and only ended when she managed to crawl in a door and was dragged to safety, her counsel told the court.

Hugh McGahon SC, with Aaron Shearer BL, said Ms Donnelly was so savagely attacked she was immediately transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where she spent eleven days in intensive care and a total eight weeks in hospital.

The key issue in Ms Donnelly’s action is who was the owner of the dog at the time of the attack, the court heard.

Her counsel said it is being contended by the defence that Ms Donnelly, as one of the persons entitled to inherit the estate of her late father, may have been an owner of the dog and therefore may be liable for its actions.

Counsel said the early morning attack took place in the yard of the Redpenny Inn premises at Ardee Road, Co Louth, owned by Ms Donnelly’s publican father Michael at the time of his death on November 4th, 2015.

Counsel said Mr Donnelly owned the three-year-old dog and never let anyone else near it. The dog had a history of nipping and biting and was a “savage attacker” of other dogs when he got out of the property, he said.

Eight days after Mr Donnelly’s funeral the dog attacked Ms Donnelly as she went to bottle feed two pups of another dog on the property, counsel said.

Other members of the family “heard the commotion”, tried to distract the dog and dragged Ms Donnelly through the pub door after she managed to get to it.

The attack, Mr McGahon said, lasted one and half hours and Ms Donnelly had been left with no use of her left arm and has had to have numerous operations. “There is no end to it,” counsel added.

A mother of three and community officer of Mandydown Close, Red Barns Road, Dundalk, Ms Donnelly (44) has sued the administrator ad litem in the estate of her late father.

She claim she thought she was going to be killed by the dog, has suffered nightmares since the attack and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

She has further claimed failure to keep a muzzle on the dog and to ensure the dog could not attack her.

The claims are denied and it is contended Ms Donnelly failed to take any or any appropriate care when attending a premises where she knew a Japanese Akito dog to be present.

The court heard there was a complex issue to be considered in relation to ownership .

Mr Justice Bernard Barton said that should be decided before the substantial action proceeds.

The judge will rule on the ownership issue next week.