SA woman too scared to leave house after dog attack

A 74-year-old grandmother says she is ‘too petrified’ to leave her home after she was savaged by her neighbour’s dog. 

South Australian woman Phyllis Bickley was walking her small dog Oshie when her neighbour’s dog escaped its backyard and launched itself toward her with its ‘vicious teeth showing’.

‘I bent down and picked up my little dog and this dog knocked me upside down on the ground and somehow I sort of tried to hold onto my dog too,’ she told Today Tonight. 

Ms Bickley said the dog latched on and savaged her right forearm. 

‘I’m lucky to be here, I’m 74-years-old, have been a diabetic for 67-years and if that dog got my leg I would’ve lost it to infection,’ she said.

While Ms Bickley required surgery on her arm, she said her emotional wounds took longer to heal.

‘I’m petrified to go out there because I’m scared of it. I can’t go outside, I feel like a prisoner in my own home, I’m scared stiff,’ she said.

Ms Bickley successfully prevented her little dog from being injured in the attack.

 ‘I bent down and picked up my little dog and this dog knocked me upside down on the ground and somehow I sort of tried to hold onto my dog too,’ Ms Bickley said (pictured with Oshie) 

While Ms Bickley required surgery on her arm, she said her emotional wounds took longer to heal

She reported the incident to the council, which is expected to issue a fine to the dog owners.

But Ms Bickley said a fine was not harsh enough penalty.

Ms Bickley said the dog was a danger to the community and called for it to be removed.

The 74-year-old grandmother was just one of thousands of Australians injured or intimidated by dogs each year.

The top three attacking dog breeds in 2017 were reportedly Staffordshire bull terriors, American Staffordshire terrier and Australian cattle dogs.