City says rottweilers involved in east London attack were already known to animal control

CTV London's Reta Ismail gives the latest details on a vicious dog attack in the city's east end that left a woman with serious injuries.

Warning: Graphic images in this article may be upsetting to some viewers

A woman suffered serious injuries after being attacked by three rottweilers in east London Monday afternoon, in what witnesses described as a horrifying scene.

Police were called to Thompson Road Park, near Jacqueline and Ada streets, after reports a young woman — believed by witnesses to be about 19 years old — had been mauled by three dogs.

Witness Amber Lee Biggs said she heard screams for help before finding the woman being attacked.

“I had heard, [a] God awful cry for help. It scared me really bad. I had to go back and see what it was, and I found a woman with three dogs attacking her,” said Biggs. “And I just yelled at the top of my lungs for them to back away from her.”

London police later warned the public to stay vigilant after the dogs were reportedly seen loose in the area north of Gladstone Avenue Monday afternoon.

In a statement Tuesday, the City of London confirmed all three dogs had been captured and secured at the London Animal Care Centre.

The city also confirmed the dogs were already known to animal control officers and were under a muzzle order at the time of the attack.

Police said the victim was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Area resident Victor Dikih said the woman appeared badly hurt.

“Yeah, she looked pretty bad. She had, her bone was showing on her leg,” he said.

Neighbour Karen Ramsay described multiple visible injuries.

“Oh, she had bite marks. Her flesh was taken away from her leg, bite marks on her shoulder, her neck. It was not nice,” said Ramsay.

CTV News contacted London police for more information about the dogs, their owner and whether charges could be laid, but was directed to the City of London’s Animal Care and Control Division.

City officials said the incident remains under investigation and no further details are being released at this time.