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Pregnant woman walking her dogs mauled to death by 'hunting hounds'

The death of a pregnant woman as a result of mauling by dogs has led to a call in the suspension of the hunting season in France.

The body of the 29-year-old, named in French media as Elisa Pilarski, was discovered in a forest near to the town of Villers-Cotterets, some 88 kilometres northeast of Paris, on Saturday (local time).

It’s believed the victim was walking her own dogs in the forrest when she was attacked.

The victim died of “bleeding after several dog bites to the upper and lower limbs and the head,” according to an autopsy report.

Elisa Pilarski, 29, with one of her pet dogs.
Elisa Pilarski, 29, was walking her dogs when she was attacked. Source: Elisa Pilarski/Facebook

Prosecutor Frederic Trinh added that some of the bites were “post mortem”.

Brigitte Bardot, president of the animal welfare foundation that carries her name, wrote to Elisabeth Borne, French minister for ecological transition, urging her to suspend "immediately all hunt authorisation for this season".

Ms Pilarski is said to have called her partner shortly before her death, telling him there was a pack of “threatening dogs” in the vicinity.

He reportedly rushed to the area, where he found her distressed dogs who then led him to her mutilated body.

He told French news channel BFMTV that he saw “about 30” hunting dogs and a rider near where he found her.

“She was undressed entirely,” he said. “She was devoured everywhere.”

A hunter and his hounds move through the woods on a twice-weekly deer hunt in the Retz woodlands north-east of Paris (AP/file pic)
Elisa Pilarski's partner claimed he saw 30 hunting hounds near where he found her mutilated body. Source: AP, file photo of hunting party

Ms Pilarski’s family members told the local newspaper, La Rep des Pyrenees: “She loved life and was passionate about animals.”

Tests on 93 hounds - including some from the hunt as well as her own dogs - are ongoing to try and determine which were responsible for the attack.

The French hunting association said in a statement that "nothing shows the involvement of hunting hounds in the death of this woman".

They added: “These dogs are trained to hunt a particular animal and obey man in all circumstances.”

–– With Yahoo News UK

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