68-year-old grandmother dies after being attacked by dogs; family says breed is banned in UK
A 68-year-old woman in England died after being attacked by dogs while visiting her grandson, officials said.
Esther Martin was attacked by two dogs inside a home in Jaywick, England on Saturday, Essex Police said.
"It is clear that within moments of this incident, members of the public tried as hard as they could to enter the property and save Esther’s life, sparing little thought for their own safety," Acting Chief Inspector Taks Shah said in a press release.
"I can say with confidence from my conversations with people today, their actions reflect what I know and what I love about this community."
In a statement to reporters Chief Superintendent Glen Pavelin said both dogs were put down.
Police said they arrested a 39-year-old man on "suspicion of dangerous dog offenses." The man has since been released on conditional bail.
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Family says dogs were banned XL Bully breed
While police have not confirmed the breed of the dogs, Sonia Martin, the woman's daughter, told the BBC that they were XL bully dogs, a breed that was recently banned in the UK.
"There were adult XL bully dogs in the property, and my mum had raised concerns to the owners about them being dangerous and quite aggressive," she told the outlet. "There were also six puppies."
Acting Detective Superintendent Stuart Truss said police were working with experts to confirm the breed of the dogs.
Sonia Martin told the BBC she believed her mother was attacked after trying to break up a puppy fight, adding that the dog's owner had previously told her to "put a broom in among them, to distract them" if they were fighting.
She said her nephew was in the home at the time of the attack and had "ran out of the house screaming for help," adding that neighbors came to help.
"My concern was if my nephew hadn't run out of the house what could have then happened to him? He's 11," Sonia Martin told the BBC.
XL bully ban now in effect in UK
A ban on the XL Bully breed went into effect on Feb. 1. It is now illegal "to own an XL Bully dog unless it is registered and complies with strict rules including being neutered and muzzled in public."
According to the UK government, there were around three dog-related fatalities a year up until 2021. Since the start of 2021, there have been 23 dog-related fatalities, with many of them involving the XL Bully.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fatal dog attack: Esther Martin's family says breed was XL bully dog
