Grandma, 83, with dementia savaged by XL bully in unprovoked attack

Shirley suffered from traumatic wounds and failed to recover after developing sepsis.

A grandmother died after an XL Bully lunged towards her in an unprovoked attack as she sat for tea.

Retired nurse Shirley Patrick, 83, died in hospital 17 days after suffering ‘life-threatening injuries’ in the attack from the dog, called Bagheera.

The grandmother, who suffered from dementia, was being cared for by a family member who was looking after the dog for friends, who had promised the dog was safe.

But when Shirley sat down to have a cup of tea in her favourite chair the dog lunged towards her to attack in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Shirley suffered ‘traumatic lacerations’ and ‘significant injuries’ to her head, body, face and arms, in the mauling and failed to recover after developing sepsis.

An inquest into her death was held ‘in writing’ and not in open court, despite Shirley’s family being at the forefront of the campaign for greater restrictions on XL Bully owners.

Senior Gwent Coroner Caroline Saunders said: ‘Shirley Patrick suffered an unprovoked attack in her home address by an XL Bully dog.

‘The injuries she sustained were extensive and, despite intensive care, Shirley died at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on December 20, 2023.’

Four people were initially arrested in connection with Shirley’s death but no charges were ever brought because the dog had no previous record of violence.

Shirley’s family say they are ‘disgusted’ no one has been held accountable for her death.

The dog, a large black XL bully cross cane corso breed, was seized by officers and was destroyed.

Shirley’s family, including daughter Gail, 65, were at the forefront of the campaign to bring in tighter rules on XL Bully owners.

The tragedy took place just half a mile from a house where ten-year-old schoolboy Jack Lis was killed by an XL Bully a year earlier.

Mrs Patrick’s daughter Gail Jones backed the government’s dog restrictions brought in earlier this year after a spate of horrific attacks but says still more needs to be done.

She said: ‘I still can’t process what happened. When I am on my own I just can’t even bear to think of the way she died in such an horrific, terrible way. It has devastated our family in so many ways.

‘There has been no justice for her. No one has been punished or held accountable. I am absolutely disgusted. The XL Bully dog that killed her had had four different owners in ten months and had been reported to the police – it was clearly a troublesome dog.

‘The law may have changed but it’s not enough. I am going to be in touch with Keir Starmer and fight for stricter laws. Any person found breeding illegal dogs should face a hefty jail sentence.

‘A serial killer gets a life sentence but these people are breeding ‘killing machines’ for profit and getting away with it. A lot more people have been killed or mauled since my mum was killed.

‘I won’t stop fighting for my mum until the law is changed. She died in the most horrific way and I will never get over it.’

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