BANGKOK — A 70-year-old woman has been killed by a powerful pit bull-type dog in Bangkok in a shocking attack that has drawn nationwide attention after authorities confirmed the same animal had previously been involved in the death of another owner.
The fatal attack occurred inside a house in the Nawamin area of Bangkok’s Bueng Kum district on Sept. 9. Police and rescue workers found the woman with severe bite injuries to multiple parts of her body. She was later pronounced dead.
The dog, reportedly named Giant, was still inside the property after the attack, forcing authorities and rescuers to carefully secure the animal before they could fully examine the scene.
Dog Had Previously Been Linked to Another Owner’s Death
What has made the latest tragedy particularly alarming is the dog’s reported history.
Authorities and Thai media reports said Giant had previously attacked and fatally injured a former owner in Chon Buri in 2021.
After that incident, the animal reportedly faced the possibility of being euthanised. The woman who later became its second owner reportedly took the dog in because she felt sorry for it.
Five years later, the same dog allegedly attacked again — this time killing the woman who had taken responsibility for its care.
Attack Happened During Routine Care
Initial reports indicate that the woman had gone to feed and clean the dog as part of its normal care routine.
The situation reportedly escalated while another person attempted to approach the animal from behind and attach a leash. Investigators said the dog may have been startled before turning aggressive.
The animal had also reportedly been suffering from cancer, which officials and reports said may have contributed to irritability or discomfort. However, authorities have not established that the illness was the direct cause of the fatal attack.
Rescuers Faced Dangerous Situation Inside the House
After the attack, the dog reportedly remained near the victim’s body, making it dangerous for rescuers to immediately enter the property.
Officials had to first bring the animal under control and secure it in a cage before investigators and emergency workers could safely access the scene.
The incident has raised renewed questions about how dangerous dogs with a documented history of fatal attacks should be managed and whether stronger intervention is needed after a serious previous incident.
Questions Over What Happens After a Fatal Animal Attack
The second fatal attack has triggered intense public discussion in Thailand.
Animal behaviour can be influenced by numerous factors, including training, handling, environment, fear, pain and illness. But the case has also focused attention on the particular challenge of managing an individual dog after it has already been involved in a fatal attack.
The circumstances surrounding the animal’s earlier case and the decisions that allowed it to remain alive and eventually be placed with another owner are now under renewed scrutiny.
Authorities are expected to continue examining the circumstances of the latest death and determine what should happen to the dog.
The Bottom Line
A 70-year-old Bangkok woman has been killed in an attack by a pit bull-type dog reportedly involved in the death of another owner in 2021.
The woman had reportedly taken in the animal after its previous fatal attack, but was herself killed five years later while caring for it.
The horrifying second death has turned one dog’s history into a major public safety question — and raised renewed debate over whether animals involved in fatal attacks should ever be allowed to return to private homes.
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