Pregnant woman severely injured after being hit by dog falling from balcony

30 October 2023 , 16:46

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The dog, seen with owner Emilia Mikela Pawlak, fell from a third-floor balcony (Image: Facebook)

A pregnant woman has been left injured after she was hit by a Rottweiler falling from a third-floor balcony.

The 27-year-old was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after the dog landed on her head while she was walking down the street in the centre of Rome on Friday.

Police believe that the pet, named Cody, may have fallen after chasing cats that had been inside the flat above. Tourists and shopkeepers were among those who witnessed the incident, according to local media, and the dog died soon after the fall.

The dog's owner, Emilia Mikela Pawlak, told La Republica: "I don't know how it happened, I was in the bathroom, Cody was always next to me." The 41-year-old was questioned by police, and was unable to explain how the dog fell off the balcony. She told the newspaper that a vet arrived two hours after the incident, by which time Cody has already died.

The pregnant woman, who was walking with her mum, meanwhile suffered a fractured ear and a suspected head injury. Checks on the foetus reportedly showed that the heartbeat is regular. A sales assistant from a print shop near the scene told Italian news agency Adnkronos that he heard a "loud bang" and "thought it was a shot" when the dog fell, adding: "There was a general stampede, we crouched behind the counter, convinced that it was an attack . Then we realised that something else had actually happened".

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In 2021, locals rushed to gather some blankets before gathering under the balcony as a terrified pooch clung on to a balcony in Novelda, Spain. The residents gathered to catch the dog as it fell from a balcony after becoming entangled in a plant, and were able to catch the fluffy falling animal called Pipo, who escaped "scared" but unharmed. The animal's owners were away at the time dealing with a family issue and did not know the drama which had ensued.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas