A high-profile Brisbane real estate agent, Ajay Malik, was left fighting for his life after a brutal dog attack that has resulted in severe injuries to his ears, upper lip, face, and arms. Malik remains in a stable condition at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, where he is awaiting multiple surgeries and has been treated for pneumonia and blood clots.
Malik was jogging in 7th Brigade Park in Chermside on October 16 when he was attacked by two dogs, described as a bulldog-American Staffordshire terrier cross and a bulldog-boxer cross. His wife, Ema Sirohi, described the harrowing experience, stating that her husband was "alive and they were eating him."
"The first time I saw him [after the attack], I couldn't believe my eyes, and that thing is not going away from my mind," Sirohi told The Courier-Mail. "The injuries will get better but he still feels that pain. He can't sleep because whenever he closes his eyes, he's just seeing the dogs, and they were attacking him like psychopaths."
Malik, who works with his wife at Artier Property Group, has always been a dog lover and previously handled canines during property viewings without issue. Sirohi expressed a loss of faith in humanity following the incident and detailed the ongoing emotional struggle the couple faces.
The dogs were captured and seized by Brisbane City Council after being shot by police. According to the council, the animals were registered to the same address and had no prior history of being declared dangerous. Queensland Police stated that officers encountered an "immediate and serious safety risk" and discharged their firearms in response.
The dogs' owner, Layla Evans, who was living in nearby bushland, was issued destruction orders for the animals. One dog later died from a gunshot wound. Evans maintained that the dogs had not previously exhibited aggressive behavior.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established by Sirohi's relatives to support Malik's recovery, citing the significant loss of income and mounting medical and rehabilitation costs he and his wife will face.