The family of a dog walker who was tragically mauled to death have finally broken their silence. The woman's loved ones say this is an "extremely difficult time" as they try to cope with the sudden loss.
The 28-year-old was killed last week after being attacked by a pack of dogs in Surrey. Following the incident on January 12, officers seized eight dogs at Gravelly Hill.
The Mirror reports that the breeds include a Leonberger, two Dachshunds, a Cockapoo and a Collie, who are still being detained by officers. Detectives are keeping their owners up to date with the investigation.
Police have now drafted in an veterinary pathologist as they continue to investigate the death. Officers have warned their enquiries are likely to take "some time" to complete, while the veterinary expert works with their forensic pathologist to figure out what happened.
Following their tragic loss, the victim's devastated family have spoken of their grief. In a statement, they said: “This is an extremely difficult time for us and as well as dealing with this sudden loss in our family, the significant level of media interest and the graphic nature of some of the reporting, has been a source of additional distress. We continue to appeal for our privacy to be respected during our time of grief.”
Detective Inspector Josephine Horner, the senior investigating officer, added: “Enquiries into the circumstances surrounding this young woman’s sad death continue and we will provide further updates when possible.
"We know this incident has caused real concern in the local community and neighbourhood officers have been out in the area speaking to local residents over the past few days. We continue to ask people not to speculate on the circumstances whilst enquiries are underway.”
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