When a Morning Walk Becomes a Nightmare: The Bengaluru Rottweiler Attack That Changed Everything
In the age of pet Instagram influencers and viral dog videos, we've somehow convinced ourselves that large, powerful breeds belong on suburban streets without leashes or muzzles. One 31-year-old mother in Bengaluru just learned the brutal cost of that collective delusion—a 17-month-old's mom now faces permanent facial scars and psychological trauma because her neighbor couldn't be bothered with basic safety precautions. This wasn't a freak accident; it was negligence performing exactly as negligence does. On January 26, Shalini Dubey stepped out for a routine morning walk in HSR Layout's Teachers' Colony when her neighbor's Rottweiler—allegedly released without restraint—lunged at her, pinning her to the ground and attacking her face and neck.[1][3] The dog's owner, Amaresh Reddy, has been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and negligent conduct with respect to an animal.[2] Dubey required an eight-hour surgery and more than 80 stitches across her face, throat, and scalp, with one deep wound measuring seven centimeters dangerously close to her airway.[2][3] Beyond the physical trauma, she now struggles with severe mental shock and has begun consulting a clinical psychologist, while her biggest worry is whether her young child will recognize her due to her facial injuries.[1] Neighbors confirmed the dog had displayed aggressive behavior previously, with reports of an earlier attack on a delivery executive—yet the owner took no precautions.[1] As her husband emphasized, this tragedy underscores a fundamental principle: if pet owners cannot control large, powerful dogs, those animals should never roam freely in public spaces.[2]
