Woman, 40, Dies After Being Mauled by Two Dogs She Was Trying to Pet

A woman has died after she was mauled by two Rottweilers that she tried to pet.

Marie Stevens, 40, of Brighton-le-Sands in Merseyside, England, was attempting to stroke the dogs when they lunged for her and caused serious injuries to her arms and legs, the Birmingham Mail reported.

The dogs, which had been on a leash at the time, reportedly bit the woman repeatedly during the attack on August 18. The owners of the dogs attempted to stop them, but the woman was still severely injured. She received first aid at the scene and was taken to a hospital by ambulance for treatment and was later discharged.

Stevens was found dead at her home on September 3, police told the Birmingham Mail.

“Just after 9.10 am on Sunday 3 September, police were called by the North West Ambulance Service to Ms Stevens’ home on Holden Road, in Brighton-le-Sands to a report she had collapsed and sadly died at home,” a statement from Merseyside Police read.

A post-mortem examination of the woman found that the main cause of death was a pulmonary embolism—a sudden blockage of the blood vessels that spread to the lungs.

This can occur when a blood clot forms in the leg and travels up the body toward the lungs. Blood clots in the leg can form for a multitude of reasons, injury being one. Signs of a blood clot include the leg becoming swollen or slightly discolored.

Rottweilers are considered one of the most dangerous dog breeds. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Rottweilers were responsible for 29 human deaths in the United States over the past 20 years, making them the second most dangerous dog.

Although Rottweilers are not usually aggressive towards their owners or other dogs, they are known for being aggressive towards strangers, a 2008 study found. The breed is known for being very protective over their owners and members of their family, causing them to become territorial or aggressive when others approach.

If trained properly, the dogs are usually only aggressive to others when they believe their owner is at risk.

According to the CDC and the Humane Society of the United States, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bites every year in the U.S. Out of these, around 16 result in fatalities.

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