Dogs destroyed as more details on fatal mauling of Qld mum emerge

The mayor of a regional city, where a mother was killed by a dog pack, has spoken about the “horrific” impact on the community as it’s revealed the animals responsible were not registered.

Fraser Coast mayor George Seymour speaking about the impact of the tragic mauling of a Maryborough mum on the community.

Three dogs, who mauled a Maryborough mother to death at a suburban home, have been destroyed as more details emerge in the case that has sent shockwaves across Queensland.

The dogs were removed from the Milton Street home on Tuesday after they attacked and killed 41-year-old Amanda Carmichael.

Speaking to reporters outside the Fraser Coast council chambers on Wednesday, Mayor George Seymour described the attack as a “very sad, tragic event for our community” and the three council workers who were among the first at the confronting scene.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with (Amanda’s) family and friends,” Mr Seymour said

“This is an horrific event … it is a tragedy for the Fraser Coast and for Maryborough.

Maryborough dog attack victim Amanda Carmichael is being mourned.

“Our council officers arrived there with other first responders and I want to pay tribute to everyone involved in this … that was a very awful situation to arrive at and the men and women who worked there yesterday to keep our community safe … we owe a debt of gratitude to them … our officers will certainly have counsellors available to them because it was a very tragic situation.”

The mayor confirmed that after police advised they would not need the dogs for evidence purposes, all three were euthanased overnight.

This was said to have been signed off on by the male owner of the dogs.

The scene of a fatal dog attack in Milton Street, Maryborough. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of the people who live at the home.

Mr Seymour also confirmed the dogs were not registered and even if they had been, there was still a two-dog limit for Fraser Coast homes.

The dogs had been at the property with their owner who was visiting.

The victim also didn’t live there and was visiting at the time of the attack.

There have been conflicting reports about the breed of the dogs responsible.

However, on Wednesday, police told the Courier Mail, it was believed the dogs were pitbull but not purebred.

Mr Seymour said he was not a “dog expert” but he had received similar information as well as reports of American staffy in the mix.

He also confirmed hefty penalties applied for failing to register dogs but could not comment further as the “police investigation is ongoing”.

The dog attack was not the first on the Fraser Coast in the last week.

A Hervey Bay woman was taken to Hervey Bay Hospital with leg injuries after being bitten on the leg at Elizabeth Street, Urangan on June 4.

In recent years, the Coast has been subject to several council compliance crackdowns on the region’s beaches and backyards amid pet on pet fatal maulings and nonlethal attacks on people.

Asked if he believed a relaxed view on dog ownership in the region was putting the community at risk, Mr Seymour said ‘every single event where someone feels unsafe and certainly where someone is hurt is a problem … this specific case happened on private property where someone knew the onus was there”.

The scene of a fatal dog attack in Milton Street, Maryborough.

“Other dog attacks are very relevant especially when they happen in public places,” he said

“These dogs should have been registered and they weren’t and that will come into the coronial report I am sure.

“We all have a duty to one another whether we keep dogs or not to keep our community safe.

“What has happened here is obviously a tragic event … there will be a report and if there’s matters that can be learned from this the council certainly will take them up.”