Isabella Rose Maddalena claims she was attacked by dog near Port Douglas

A 28-year-old woman who had skin ripped from her face during what she describes as a vicious dog attack near Port Douglas, is taking action against the animal’s owners and is demanding authorities do more to find it.

Isabella Rose Maddelena wants people to take more responsibility when they have vicious dog breeds.

A 28-year-old woman who had skin ripped from her face during what she describes as a vicious dog attack near Port Douglas, is taking action against the animal’s owners and is demanding authorities do more to find it.

Isabella Rose Maddalena says she was attacked by a Belgian malinois near Port Douglas in September.

Mareeba Shire Council confirmed it was made aware of the incident four days after it happened.

But when officers went to the property, council says the dog was gone and its location is now unknown.

Isabella Maddalena has been a vegetarian for eight years and describes herself as “an animal lover”.

Ms Maddalena, who works at JB Hi-Fi, had been out for dinner in Port Douglas when she went back to a property where the attack happened.

She said there were two large Belgian malinois confined to a cage at the property.

When the owner let them out, and left on a motorbike one followed him but one didn’t.

Ms Maddalena said she attempted to close the door on the Belgian malinois when it grabbed her arm.

A Belgian malinois seen here in this file photo as a dog favoured by military personnel. Picture: Nev Madsen.

When she tried to get it off it jumped on her and grabbed her neck.

“I was punching it, but it did nothing. Then I thought I better run.”

The dog jumped on her back and threw her to the ground, latching on to the skin of her inner thighs.

“So that’s when I thought I can’t fight, I can’t run, I can’t get away, I am going to die, and I just started ‘I’m dying, it’s killing me’.

When Ms Maddalena got up and ran, the dog knocked her down again and began biting her around the eyes.

Rachael McMahon for Maurice Blackburn who is helping Ms Maddalena with the case against the property's owner.

“I could hear it growling and breathing on me”

Remarkably, she escaped and ran inside and rang her mum Virginia Edwards.

“There was so much blood I couldn't even see her face. I just felt so hopeless, I couldn't do anything,” her mum said.

After being released from hospital with six wounds she couldn’t stop vomiting and with concerns about blood poisoning she had emergency surgery.

The family is now taking legal action against the property’s owners through Maurice Blackburn.

Rachael McMahon, senior Associate in Maurice Blackburn’s Cairns office, said it would be alleged “what happened to her is a real life horror story, we have helped a number of victims of dog attacks and what stand out are the long-term psychological scars that go along with the physical injuries”.

Bella Maddalena in happier times.

Ms Maddalena has scarring on her face, legs, arms and nerve damage, and says she is traumatised from the attack.

The “animal loving vegan” says she thinks about the attack every night and panics whenever she sees a dog.

“It was the noises — the growling … if you are going to have dogs don't train them to be vicious, take responsibility for them. Also be careful, not every animal is going to give you hugs and kisses.”

From October to December last year 32 animal attacks were recorded in Mareeba Shire, up from 18 attacks in the 2022 fourth quarter.

The increase has led to more council patrols in areas of previous attacks.

In a statement Mareeba Shire Council confirmed it was aware of the incident.

“Mareeba Shire Council was alerted to a dog attack that took place in Julatten four days after the incident occurred. When council officers arrived on the scene, the dog had already been removed from the shire ... We do not know the location of the dog.”

Originally published as Isabella Rose Maddalena claims she was attacked by dog near Port Douglas