Simona Cavallaro was walking with a friend at a popular picnic spot on Mount Fiorino, near Catanzaro, on Thursday when she was savagely run down by a dozen dogs.
Local media reports said an autopsy revealed major bites to her body — particularly her legs — and dog hair under her fingernails, suggesting she had attempted to fight back while trying to run back to a car.
Cavallaro’s friend managed to escape and hide from the dogs in a nearby building, where he called authorities.
Emergency services arrived at the scene and transported Cavallaro to a local hospital but she died shortly after arriving.
Authorities immediately began rounding up the dogs, which included Maremma Sheepdogs, that were living wild but being used to protect goats.
Police said the dogs also attempted to attack officers and had to initially be driven away by pistol shots in the air.
Only one of the dogs that were captured — some with blood still on their fur — had a microchip that identifies an owner.
But a 44-year-old shepherd is believed to be responsible for the animals and is under investigation for culpable homicide.
“It’s a huge tragedy that could and should have been avoided,” Nino Spirli, the governor of Calabria, said.
Cavallaro was from the Calabrian town of Soverato and was studying at university.
She leaves behind her parents, Alfio and Angela, and her twin brother, Pietro.
