Vicious dogs attack woman and her labrador in bloody scene in Adelaide’s Ridgehaven

A man has been injured as he helped rescue a woman and her labrador while they were being set upon by two vicious dogs in a “relentless attack” on an Adelaide street.

A pit bull, similar to one of the dogs that carried out the attack. Picture: iStock

A man had to rescue a defenceless woman and her labrador from a pair of vicious dogs after she was attacked in a suburban street in a “bloody scene” last week.

The attack, which occurred at Ridgehaven in the city’s northeast, left the woman shielding her five-year-old labrador from the two dogs – which appeared to be a Staffordshire bull terrier and a pit bull – as they relentlessly attacked for “at least 10 minutes”.

John Timani Seve was reversing out of his driveway on Friday, when he “heard screaming” and noticed the woman on the ground being attacked before he stopped his car and rushed to her aid, receiving injuries to his hand in the process.

“She was on her knees trying to shield her puppy from the staffie and the pit bull,” he said.

“The staffie had her labrador by the throat and the pit bull had it by the back legs and they were trying to rip the labrador apart.

A deep puncture wound in John Timani Seve's hand after the attack.

John Timani Seve and his fiance Sophia. John came to the aid of the woman and her labrador who were being attacked.

“The labrador was in a very bad way. There was blood everywhere and I got bitten … but the lady, the owner of the dog, had a lot of puncture wounds in her arms.”

Mr Timani Seve sustained a deep puncture wound to his hand, and said the owner of the labrador had sustained worse injuries, with puncture wounds across both her arms.

He said he did not know the woman, but met her at Modbury Hospital following the attack, and learned that the labrador had sustained life-threatening injuries, but survived after being rushed to an emergency vet.

Mr Timani Seve has since taken aim at the City of Tea Tree Gully Council, who he criticised following the handling of the situation.

“During the whole time, when this was happening the council was there when she (the worker) just froze,” he said.

“She came out with one leash and there were two dogs.

“She didn’t have any protective gear and she was frightened, which is fair enough because we were all terrified.”

The dogs were put in the back of a council vehicle by John Timani Seve and his brother after the attack.

Mr Timani Seve, with the help of his brother, said the safety officer handed them the leash and they detained both dogs and put them in the back of her car.

A spokesperson from the City of Tea Tree Gully told the Advertiser that the dogs were registered with the council and that an investigation into the incident was under way.

“The dogs are registered and therefore known to the council,” they said.

“An investigation process is currently being undertaken and therefore council won’t provide comment at this point.

“The Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 gives Council the power to detain and control dangerous dogs.”

The Advertiser has previously reported that owners of vicious dogs involved in attacks face huge new fines under new laws proposed by the state government.

Under the proposed new laws, if a dog attacks a person or another animal and causes serious injury or death, the owner now faced a maximum fine of $25,000, up from the current $2500 penalty.

If the dog was already known to local councils, the fine could rise to $50,000 up from $10,000.

The fine could rise to $50,000 if the attacking dog was already considered dangerous, up from $10,000.

In cases where a dog owner deliberately encouraged their pet to attack or harass a person or animal, the owner faces fines up to $100,000 – or four years’ jail.