A woman in her 50s and a young boy were taken to hospital after a serious dog attack in Co Clare, with the animal later put down following the incident.

The attack happened last Saturday in the O’Brien’s Bridge area, where Gardaí were called after a dog was reported to have attacked a woman.

Clare County Dog Warden Frankie Coote told RTÉ’s News at One that Gardaí contacted him and asked him to attend the scene urgently.

He said the situation remained dangerous when Gardaí arrived, with the dog continuing to pose a threat.

The woman was taken to hospital following the first attack, while what is believed to have been a Collie-type dog later emerged onto the road again and attacked a young boy who was passing by.

The child was also brought to hospital and was later discharged after receiving several stitches.

Mr Coote said the woman suffered more serious injuries.

He described the dog as exceptionally aggressive and said its behaviour was unlike anything he had previously encountered from a sheepdog. ”He was an unbelievably more savage dog than I had seen, in any breed. I’m not exaggerating to say that I honestly believe if we hadn’t removed him on the day, he was capable of actually killing an older person or a child.”

“I have to say that in all the years I’ve been in the job, the worst dog I’ve ever seen was a black labrador, so it just shows you that it can be any breed. This fella, I’d put him as the second worst I’ve ever seen.”

Because of the immediate danger, the animal was sedated before being removed from the area and taken to a vet.

Mr Coote said he believed the situation could have had even more serious consequences had the dog not been taken away.

He also stressed that the incident should not be taken as representative of sheepdogs generally, pointing out that the vast majority are trained working animals.

He said the attack was an unusual and serious incident, describing the scene as particularly distressing.

The dog was subsequently put down.

Gardaí have confirmed that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack is ongoing.

The incident comes amid continued concerns about dog attacks and responsible dog ownership, with authorities urging owners to ensure their animals are properly controlled and do not pose a danger to members of the public.