A dog breeder whose pit bulls had mauled his grandmother to death in 2020, was attacked by his own two dogs on Monday morning in Msida.

Andre Galea was hospitalised after he was attacked by his two dogs outside his home on Antonio Sciortino Street in Msida, Times of Malta reported.

Neighbours were alerted to the attack at around 1.30am on Monday after hearing screaming and cries for help outside Galea’s Msida townhouse.

Witnesses told Times of Malta that the dogs were biting him to pieces.

A white dog believed to be a pit bull was holding on to Galea with its teeth, attacking his arms, face and hands, a witness said. A second brown dog ran around in the street.

The witnesses said Galea was trying to protect his face and trying to escape the dogs, seeking refuge on the roof of a parked car after trying to fight the dogs off.

While police were on site within minutes, Animal Welfare officers did not arrive until an hour later, the neighbours said, one having been warned to keep the door closed for her safety.

Animal Welfare officers eventually restrained the white dog, after waiting for a vet to bring a sedative. Both dogs were in custody by 3.45am.

Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina told Times of Malta that she was disappointed to see that officers were not equipped as they should be, despite supposedly having access to a tranquiliser gun.

Pools of blood were found on the car that Galea had climbed on to escape the dogs.

Times of Malta was informed that Galea had continued to keep dogs after the fatal attack of his grandmother, Inez Galea, who was 92.

Sources said they estimated Galea was keeping “eight or nine dogs” at the property, along with other animals.

The animals were being kept inside and on the roof, with Galea having constructed concrete pens on the roof to house the dogs.

Many sources said that they heard barking “all the time” and concerns were voiced over the wellbeing of the animals at the property.

Galea stands accused of the involuntary homicide of his grandmother. Criminal proceedings showed that the pit bulls that killed his grandmother had scars that vets believed could be the remains of wounds suffered in dog fights.