76-year-old woman pecked to death by own rooster while gathering eggs

76-year-old woman pecked to death by own rooster while gathering eggs
JUSTIN CHAN, IN THE KNOW
Sep 4th 2019 5:28PM

A 76-year-old Australian woman was pecked to death by her own rooster, USA Today reports, citing a report in the Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology journal.

The unidentified woman was gathering eggs on her rural property in South Australia, when the fowl repeatedly struck at her leg, puncturing a varicose vein and causing her to bleed heavily. The woman had reportedly suffered from hypertension and type II diabetes, in addition to varicose veins.

"Even relatively small domestic animals may be able to inflict lethal injuries in individuals if there are specific vascular vulnerabilities present," the report said.

Speaking to USA Today, University of Adelaide professor Roger Byard, who wrote the report with Judith Fronczek, said the incident showed "how vulnerable the elderly are."

"It draws attention to the vulnerability of elderly folk with varicose veins to minor trauma, even from a rooster peck," Byard said. "Lethal rooster attacks are very rare, but small animals can cause death from trauma."

The unusual episode is also proof that animals most people consider harmless can be dangerous, Byard told The Advertiser in a separate interview.