Walker viciously attacked by sheep guard dogs on hiking path in south-east France
Four dogs attacked for an hour. Emergency rescuer also felt in danger
The shepherd who owns the dogs, which included Anatolian shepherds, has been notified. Photo for illustrative purposes only
LyndenLeaves/Shutterstock
A young hiker was airlifted to a hospital in south-east France this weekend after being attacked for nearly an hour by four sheep guardian dogs along a walking trail.
The 20-year old was hiking along a popular trail between the Pic de Morgon and Serre-Ponçon lake in the Hautes-Alpes on Sunday (October 5) when the incident occurred.
At around 10:00, he came across the four dogs – including Anatolian shepherds – who had reportedly escaped from a nearby enclosure where they were protecting sheep.
Despite being around 400 metres from the enclosure they were protecting, the dogs became aggressive and attacked.
The hiker initially attempted to call the emergency services but was unable to connect due to a lack of signal.
While attempting to move to a more suitable location, he continued to be attacked until rescuers arrived.
“The dogs attacked him for an hour,” one of the rescuers told local media Le Dauphiné.
The man was airlifted to hospital in Briançon. The attack was not life threatening, but the cumulation of several bites meant he sustained severe injuries.
The victim has filed a complaint against the dogs’ owner, and local police have opened an investigation.
Dogs ‘were hostile to rescuers’
“At first, it was complicated; the dogs were hostile when the helicopter arrived,” added the rescuer from the local Peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne (PGHM, mountain rescue unit).
“We descended from the helicopter to urgently extract the hiker from the environment he was in. We felt in danger, and it was difficult to intervene.”
Attacks by sheepdogs and other protective animals are often highlighted by the media in France.
While these attacks often come from ‘patou’ sheepdogs – known for their aggressiveness when protecting flocks in the mountains – recent cases have also seen other types of sheepdog attack walkers.
This includes an incident in June 2025 near Nice, when a pregnant woman was attacked by Anatolian shepherd dogs.
