Animal management officer Kimberley Armstrong-Egan sues Toowoomba Regional Council over 2019 dog attack at Crows Nest

A council worker has taken her employer to court for $750,000 after a vicious dog attack left her requiring surgery and even skin grafts.

An animal management officer for the Toowoomba Regional Council is suing her employer for $750,000 following a vicious dog attack that required surgery – including skin grafts – to repair.

Kimberley Iris Armstrong-Egan filed a personal injury claim in the Toowoomba District Court last week, claiming compensation from the council for the physical and psychological harm suffered during the incident at Crows Nest nearly four years ago.

According to the claim lodged by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, the attack occurred at an emergency evacuation centre established at the Crows Nest Showgrounds on November 18, 2019 due to bush fires in the vicinity.

Animal management officer Kimberley Armstrong-Egan is suing her employer the Toowoomba Regional Council over a 2019 dog attack that left her requiring surgery and skin grafts.

The claim said a local resident had brought to the emergency centre her Mastiff/Bull Arab/Wolfhound crossbreed dog called Alfie, who reportedly weighed as much as 80kg.

Alfie was said to be displaying aggressive behaviour towards other people before attacking a volunteer and causing injuries to their arm and stomach.

According to the claim, after the dog’s owner refused to relocate with Alfie, the council’s animal management team was contacted and told there was an aggressive dog that required impounding until the bushfire risk had cleared.

A member of the team was told the dog had attacked someone already but did not relay that information to Ms Armstrong-Egan’s supervisors.

The claim said when Ms Armstrong-Egan arrived to get Alfie into a cage, the dog eventually broke free and attacked her.

“The plaintiff and (the owner) led Alfie to the cage at the rear of the plaintiff’s vehicle but Alfie became aggressive and resisted going into the cage completely, so that the plaintiff was unable to close the door of the cage,” the document read.

“The loop from the dog pole slipped off Alfie’s head and the plaintiff stepped back from the cage.

“Alfie backed out of the cage and faced towards the plaintiff and lunged (at her), causing her to dive away to evade the attack.

“The plaintiff landed on the ground on her stomach when Alfie attacked her again, biting the plaintiff’s right leg.”

Ms Armstrong-Egan suffered a “severe laceration” to her right calf, which required surgery and skin grafts, while the claim said she has suffered psychological scars as a result of the incident.

While she still works at council in animal management, the plaintiff is excused from doing call outs to dog attacks and weekend work.

The claim argued the council knew it had outdated operating procedures for the handling of dogs, having sought a third-party contractor earlier in 2019 who recommended staff where a range of protective gear when apprehending aggressive dogs.

“The failure of the defendant to take any one or more of the precautions set out … amounts to a breach of the duty of care,” the document said.

Ms Armstrong-Egan is claiming $750,000 for general damages, past and future economic loss, past and future superannuation loss and future special damages.

The Toowoomba Regional Council was contacted for comment.