Unsupervised dogs bite woman and kill her pet in Lanzarote
A woman in Lanzarote is under investigation after two large dogs attacked a passer-by and killed her pet in a violent incident in the capital, Arrecife.
Officers from the Guardia Civil and its environmental protection unit SEPRONA, have launched a criminal investigation into a resident of the Argana Alta neighbourhood in Arrecife. She is suspected of serious negligence causing injury, as well as animal cruelty.
The attack happened in mid-December 2025 when a woman was walking her small dog along a street in the area. According to investigators, two large dogs, a male and a female of the Presa Canario breed, suddenly appeared and attacked both the woman and her pet.
The dogs were reportedly roaming freely without a muzzle and without anyone supervising them.
The small dog died on the street because of the severity of its injuries. As the owner tried to protect her pet, she was knocked to the ground and bitten several times on the hands and legs. She later needed treatment for her injuries at a local health centre.
Investigators say the owner of the dogs arrived shortly after the attack but did not help the injured woman. Instead, she allegedly took the dogs away and left before local police officers arrived.
According to the Guardia Civil investigation, the woman later cleaned the rooftop terrace of her home to remove any traces of the animals. When questioned by officers, she reportedly denied owning the dogs.
After more than two months of enquiries, SEPRONA officers eventually located the animals in February. The dogs had allegedly been moved to a property belonging to relatives, also in Arrecife, in an attempt to hide them.
Police found the animals inside an old, partially ruined building without a roof, surrounded by rubble and in very poor sanitary conditions. Officers also confirmed that the dogs did not have the legally required microchips.
The case has now been passed to the investigating court in Arrecife. The Guardia Civil report refers to recent rulings from the Supreme Court of Spain, which state that failing to use basic safety measures, such as keeping dogs of this type on a lead and wearing a muzzle, can be considered serious negligence.
Officers have also asked the Arrecife Cabildo to urgently seize the dogs and place them in official custody due to concerns that they may pose a risk to public safety.
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