A Tasmanian coroner has warned dog owners must act decisively when a pet shows sudden, unexplained aggression, after a man was mauled to death by his own Rottweiler.
The 66-year-old, who worked in human resources at the Australian Antarctic Division, died at Allens Rivulet on October 15, 2023, after being attacked by his three-year-old Rottweiler, Rubin.
Coroner Leigh Mackey found the man bled to death after suffering deep lacerations to his legs and defensive wounds to both forearms.
His wife was also bitten while trying to intervene.
The dog, a 53-kilogram Australian show champion, had no history of aggression in the first three years of its life, the coroner found.
But the findings noted the man and his Rottweiler had been attacked by another dog in July 2022, during which the man fell on his pet.
He suffered bite wounds to both hands.
In September 2023, the man fell on the dog again while out walking.
The Rottweiler attacked, causing injuries that required surgery and a lengthy hospital stay.
The couple considered euthanising the dog at that point but decided against it, according to the coroner.
On the night of his death, the man took the dog into the garden and fell, likely onto the animal.
Toxicology testing showed his blood alcohol level was above 0.15.
A neighbour performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The dog was euthanised at the scene.
A dog behaviour and training expert who had worked with the Rottweiler told the investigation the aggression was likely linked to the 2022 attack, a genetic factor or an unknown medical condition.
Mackey said the September attack was “a clear warning that his behaviour could no longer be predicted”.
“In the absence of a clear and resolvable cause for that behaviour and to ensure that he presented no risk of harm to [the couple] or the community, responsible dog ownership required [them] to humanely euthanise Rubin at that time, regardless of their love for and care of him,” she said.
