A 20-year-old Italian woman was fatally attacked by a pack of shepherd dogs near a picnic area in Satriano, a small town in southern Italy.
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Attacked by 15 dogs
Simona Cavallaro was scouting an area to go on a hiking excursion with a friend when the duo was attacked by 15 vicious dogs that bit the woman so profusely she bled out to death. As reported by local newspaper Corriere della Serra, the two friends were quickly surrounded by the wandering dogs which made it difficult for them to escape. Though her friend was able to evade and protect himself from the dogs with the help of a stick he used as a weapon, Cavallaro was unfortunately unable to do the same.
Her friend eventually sought out help but by the time he came back, the woman was found lying lifeless on the ground. It was later revealed by doctors that she succumbed to deep wounds to her back and legs that resulted in heavy haemorrhages. Upon inspection, it was also discovered that she tried to defend herself as evidenced by the fur stuck under her nails.
Her father's heartbreaking message
This horrible tragedy has affected the region as well as the rest of the country and has left many questions still unanswered. However, one of the dogs involved in the attack was found to be chipped and its owner has been identified. The dog in question belongs to a 44-year-old shepherd who has since been indicted of involuntary manslaughter.
In a poignant message posted on social media, Simona's father paid tribute to his tragically lost daughter by saying:
God did not need another angel, you were an angel on this Earth.